Publication:

The benefit of Curcuma longa and Boswellia serrata to improve quality of life in osteoarthritis patients: a randomized controlled trial

Background Quality of life (QoL) can be affected by chronic pain in osteoarthritis (OA). Previous studies showed that combination of Curcuma longa (CL) and Boswellia serrata (BS) extract (CB extract) are promising for alternative treatment for pain in OA. This study aimed to measure the benefit of CB extract to improve QoL in patients with OA.

Methods This was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in OA patients. Subjects were randomized to 3 different group (Group 1: CB extract (350 mg of CL and 150 mg BS) and NSAID (400 mg ibuprofen or 50 mg diclofenac sodium); group 2: CB extract; group 3: NSAID). Each medication was taken two times per day for 4 weeks. QoL measured using 5Q-5D-5L that include five dimensiones in 5Q-5D: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression, with 5 levels of severity.

Results There were 105 subjects at baseline. After 4 weeks of study, remained 95 subjects. The most common problem in group 1, 2, and 3 was pain (n=23, n=8, n=15 respectively). The improvement of level of severity in group 1 after 4 weeks of treatment was significant in mobility problems (p=0.002), pain/discomfort (p<0.001), and anxiety/depression (p=0.008). A significant improvement was only seen in usual activity problems (p=0.013) in group 2. The decrease of level of severity in usual activity problems (p=0.034), pain/discomfort (p=0.005), and anxiety/depression (p=0.018) in group 3 were also statistically significant.

Conclusions CB extract was beneficial to improve QoL in OA patients with a less side effect compared to NSAID.