The study investigated the efficacy and safety of bioavailable turmeric extract compared to paracetamol in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. In the six-week study, patients received either 500 mg turmeric extract twice daily or 650 mg paracetamol three times daily. The results show that turmeric extract is as effective as paracetamol in reducing pain, stiffness and limited mobility.
While the improvement in symptoms was similar, turmeric showed a better effect in reducing inflammatory markers such as CRP (-37.21%) and TNF-α (-74.81%). In addition, fewer side effects occurred (5.48% compared to 12.68% in the paracetamol group). A remarkable proportion of the turmeric group (18%) achieved an improvement of over 50% of symptoms, while this was not observed in the paracetamol group.
Conclusion: Turmeric extract is a safe and effective alternative to paracetamol in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis and offers additional anti-inflammatory benefits.
Background
Osteoarthritis of the knee (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that is one of the most common causes of pain and restricted mobility worldwide. Current treatments, such as paracetamol and NSAIDs, relieve the symptoms but can cause serious side effects and have little effect on the course of the disease. Turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, was investigated in this study as a potential alternative to paracetamol.
Methods
In this randomized, non-inferiority trial, 193 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis were divided into two groups. One group received bioavailable turmeric extract at a dosage of 500 mg twice daily, the other paracetamol (650 mg three times daily). The duration of treatment was six weeks. The primary outcome measure was improvement in the WOMAC pain score, a validated scale for measuring pain, stiffness and functional capacity in OA. In addition, inflammatory markers such as CRP and TNF-α as well as side effects were recorded.
Results
Of the 193 randomized patients, 144 completed the study. Both treatment groups showed similar improvements in WOMAC score: pain (-32.09%), stiffness (-28.5%) and functional capacity (-20.25%). However, the bioavailable turmeric extract was superior to paracetamol in reducing inflammatory markers such as CRP (-37.21%) and TNF-α (-74.81%). In the turmeric group, 18% of patients experienced an improvement of over 50% in their symptoms, while this was not observed in the paracetamol group.
Side effects were less frequent (5.48%) and mild in the turmeric group compared to the paracetamol group (12.68%).
Conclusion
The results show that bioavailable turmeric extract is as effective as paracetamol in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis and also offers a better anti-inflammatory effect with fewer side effects. This makes turmeric extract a promising natural alternative for the symptomatic treatment of OA. However, further studies with larger populations and longer treatment periods are needed to confirm these results.