- 1Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, King George's Medical University, Chowk, Lucknow, 226003, India.
- 2Department
of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, King George's Medical University,
Chowk, Lucknow, 226003, India. saksenaa54@yahoo.co.in.
- 3Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.
- 4Centre for Advance Research, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
Curcuma
longa L. (CL), an Indian herb, has been used to treat many disorders
because of its wide spectrum of pharmacological activities. It has been
shown to exhibit anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and is
being used as herbal
remedy since ancient times. Osteoarthritis of knee (KOA) is a chronic
painful disorder in which prolong use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs) or steroids may result into many serious side effects; hence, there is a need to develop herbal drugs, having good analgesia without side effects. Therefore, we planned to evaluate the efficacy of CL in KOA.
METHODS:
The
study was designed as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
trial in patients of KOA. After obtaining ethical clearance and written
informed consent, a total of 160 patients of KOA were randomly enrolled
into two groups to receive either CL extract or placebo along with the
standard drug regimen. The patients were assessed on day 0, day 60, and
day 120. On the days of their visit, the clinical prognosis was assessed
by visual analog scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster
Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis index. On these days, the
radiographs were also taken for Kellgren and Lawrence grading and blood
samples were collected for assessing the changes in levels of IL-1β and
biomarkers of oxidative stress, such as reactive oxygen species and
malondialdehyde (MDA).
RESULTS:
Over
all significant improvement was observed in the patients of CL extract
group as compared to placebo group. Clinically, the VAS and WOMAC scores
became better, and simultaneously, the levels of biomarkers, viz.,
IL-1β, ROS, and MDA, were also significantly (p < 0.05) improved.
CONCLUSION:
It
may be concluded that on chronic administration, CL suppresses
inflammation and brings clinical improvement in patients of KOA, which
may be observed by decreased level of IL-1β and VAS/WOMAC scores,
respectively. At the same time, CL decreases the oxidative stress also.
KEYWORDS:
Curcuma longa L.; Inflammatory biomarkers; Osteoarthritis of knee; WOMAC
