Effects of curcumin on serum inflammatory biomarkers in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Hsueh HC, Ho GR, Tzeng SI, Liang KH, Horng YS · BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

CRP (SMD -0.906, 95% CI -1.543 to -0.269) and TNF-alpha (SMD -0.921, 95% CI -1.817 to -0.026) were lower with curcumin; ESR, IL-1beta, IL-6 and PGE2 were not. Sensitivity analysis held for CRP but not for TNF-alpha.

Population

21 RCTs of curcumin in knee osteoarthritis across seven countries

Intervention

Curcumin preparations

Comparator

Placebo or control

Limitations

Serum markers are not a joint endpoint and this record is tagged accordingly; the TNF-alpha result is unstable to single-study removal and the individual trials are small (24 to 160 participants).