Högskolan i Skövde

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease managed with non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but NSAIDs have side effects. Curcumin, the bioactive component of turmeric, is garnering interest for its anti-inflammatory potency and better safety.

This study through meta-analysis shows the efficacy of curcumin in reducing OA symptoms compared to NSAIDs and placebo, quantified via the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), and inflammatory biomarkers (CRP and ESR).

A systematic review that included RCTs that provided SMD for curcumin intervention was identified. The meta-analysis of SMD was conducted with random-effects models and a subgroup analysis examined dosage effects and comparators. Publication bias was assessed using Egger's regression test and Funnel plots. When measuring pain using VAS, curcumin showed a significant reduction over placebo: SMD = -1.73; 95% CI: -2.19 to -1.27, with no heterogeneity: I² = 0%. When comparing curcumin to NSAIDs, curcumin suggested a non-significant trend for pain reduction (VAS SMD = -0.86; 95% CI: -2.35 to 0.63). WOMAC results favored curcumin with low heterogeneity, the absence of publication bias, as assessed using Egger's test, suggests valid overall results.

Curcumin showed a greater amount of pain relief and functional improvement in persons with OA than placebo. Although a few trials revealed that NSAIDs were superior to curcumin for pain relief, all WOMAC data favoured curcumin. These findings imply that curcumin has a safer profile and has the potential to be a long-term therapy for OA; more research is required.