Effectiveness of Curcuma longa Extract for the Treatment of Symptoms and Effusion-Synovitis of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Trial

Wang Z, Jones G, Winzenberg T, et al. · Annals of Internal Medicine

Curcumin modestly reduced knee pain versus placebo (VAS difference -9.1 mm on a 100 mm scale, 95% CI -17.5 to -0.7) but had no effect on MRI-measured effusion-synovitis volume or cartilage composition.

Population

Adults with symptomatic knee OA and ultrasound-defined effusion-synovitis, Australia

Intervention

Curcuma longa extract (2 capsules/day) for 12 weeks

Comparator

Placebo

Limitations

Publicly funded (a strength) but small and short; the pain benefit is near the lower bound of clinical importance and structural measures were unchanged.