Curcumin and Piperine: A novel therapy in the management of osteoarthritis in Indian patients

ABSTRACT

@#To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of fixed dose combination of curcumin and piperine in osteoarthritis (OA), a non-randomized, open labeled, non-comparative, single-centric, and post marketing surveillance (PMS) study was conducted in 166 osteoarthritic patients (73 men and 93 women, mean age 54.5 ± 12.45 years). Each patient was administered a combination of curcumin 500 mg and piperine 5 mg twice daily for 12 weeks. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) was used as a tool to assess the efficacy of the fixe dose combination during the 12 weeks therapy. At the end of 12 weeks of therapy, WOMAC score improved significantly (p<0.0001) from 65.82 ± 18.10 to 25.12 ± 21.26. Also a significant reduction (p<0.0001) was found in scores for pain, stiffness and physical function from 15.03 ± 3.74 to 5.83 ± 4.42, 5.43 ± 1.95 to 1.52 ± 1.56 and 45.57 ± 13.72 to 17.76 ± 16.23 respectively at the end of 12 weeks. Combination of Curcumin and Piperine was effective and safe for the management of osteoarthritis in Indian patients.