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Drug Res (Stuttg) 2015; 65(10): 521-525
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1384536
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Impact of Supplementation with Curcuminoids on Systemic Inflammation in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Findings from a Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial

A.-R. Rahimnia
1   Orthopedics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2   Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
Y. Panahi
3   Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical ­Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
G. Alishiri
4   Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
M. Sharafi
1   Orthopedics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2   Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
A. Sahebkar
5   Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
6   Metabolic Research Centre, Royal Perth Hospital, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 29 April 2014

accepted 21 June 2014

Publication Date:
22 July 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Objective:  Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease associated with inflammation. The present study aimed to determine changes in serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers in OA patients whose clinical symptoms were improved as a result of supplementation with curcuminoids.

Methods:  This study was a randomized double-blind placebo-control parallel-group clinical trial in which 40 subjects with mild-to-moderate degree knee OA were randomly allocated to receive either pure curcuminoids (1 500 mg/day in 3 divided doses; n=19) or matched placebo (n=21) for 6 weeks. In order to enhance the bioavailability of curcuminoids, piperine (15 mg/day) was added to the treatment regimen. Serum levels of interleukins 4 (IL-4) and 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), together with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were determined at baseline as well as at the end of trial.

Results:  Serum concentrations of IL-4 (p=0.001), IL-6 (p=0.006) and hs-CRP (p=0.004) were significantly reduced in the curcuminoid group whilst serum levels of TNF-α and TGF-β and mean ESR remained unaltered by the end of trial (p>0.05). In the placebo group, serum concentrations of IL-4 (p=0.001), IL-6 (p=0.003), TNF-α (p=0.003) and TGF-β (p=0.005) were significantly reduced but mean hs-CRP and ESR values remained statistically unchanged (p>0.05). Comparison of the magnitude of changes in the evaluated inflammatory biomarkers did not indicate any significant difference between the study groups (p>0.05).

Conclusion:  Significant improvement in clinical symptoms of OA in curcuminoid-treated subjects cannot be attributed to the systemic anti-inflammatory effects of these phytochemicals.

Key words

curcuma longa L. - pro-inflammatory cytokines - acute phase reaction - osteoarthritis
 

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