Potential efficacy of Turmeric as an anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant in the treatment of Osteoarthritis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To elaborate anti-inflammatory and antioxidant role of turmeric in management of osteoarthritis. METHODS: In this review article, we focused on the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, documented by randomized controlled trials and review articles published from 2011-2020 in PubMed. Out of 34 articles found, 27 were excluded on the basis of animal/in-vitro studies, with insufficient data, not related to turmeric and osteoarthritis, and non-randomized controlled trials. Studies taken into consideration were of shorter durations ranging from 4 weeks to 4 months. Finally, seven studies were shortlisted which highlighted the importance of turmeric as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Five studies compared turmeric with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) while two compared its affects with placebo. RESULTS: The review results exhibit anti-inflammatory & anti-oxidant properties of curcumin to minimize wear & tear of articular cartilage. It limits progression of disease and reduces the requirement of analgesics, thus protects from potential adverse effects. The p-value of <0.05 was considered as significant and confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.79 in curcumin groups compared to NSAIDs group CI range 0.53-0.82. Two studies with placebo also showed statistically significant with higher and lower formulations of curcumin intake. CONCLUSION: Prolonged use of NSAIDs in osteoarthritis is associated with serious gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse effects. Use of turmeric can play a pivotal role in management keeping patient safety and reducing the requirement of NSAIDs in osteoarthritis. In addition, it can be used as adjuvant or alone in patients and is an economical option with minimal side effects compared to NSAIDs.