Curcumin may relieve pain for osteoarthritis patients
Daily supplements containing a mixture of curcumin with soy phospholipids may relieve pain and increase mobility in patients with osteoarthritis, according to a new study from Italy.
The new study compared the effects of NSAIDs with NSAIDs plus the Meriva supplement – composed of 20 percent natural curcuminoid mixture, 40 percent phosphatidylcholine, and 40 percent microcrystalline cellulose. Subjects in the active group received a daily dose of 1,000 mg, which provided a daily curcumin dose of 200 mg. The control group received “best available treatment”.
After eight months of intervention, the researchers report that, according to WOMAC scores for pain decreased by 9.3 points, while no change was observed in the control group. Furthermore, scores for stiffness decreased from 7.4 to 3.2, with again no significant changes in the control group.
“Although no direct comparison study of Meriva versus NSAIDs has been conducted, the decreased use of these drugs observed in the treatment group provides a rationale for evaluating whether the biochemical improvement in the inflammatory status associated with Meriva could eventually translate to a phase out of NSAID use, at least for mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis,” wrote the researchers.