Efficacy and Safety of Turmeric Extracts for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 33511486 · doi:10.1007/s11926-020-00975-8
What was done
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials (up to 16 weeks duration) evaluating turmeric extracts in 1,810 adults with knee osteoarthritis. Eleven trials compared turmeric extracts against placebo and five compared against active NSAID controls. Assessed outcomes included pain, physical function, adverse events, biochemical markers, and imaging findings.
What was found
Turmeric extracts significantly reduced knee pain (SMD -0.82, 95% CI -1.17 to -0.47; I² = 86.23%) and improved physical function (SMD -0.75, 95% CI -1.18 to -0.33; I² = 90.05%) compared to placebo, with efficacy comparable to NSAIDs. Turmeric had 12% fewer adverse events than NSAIDs and similar rates to placebo. Higher BMI modified treatment effects, resulting in smaller improvements in pain (SMD 0.26, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.48) and physical function (SMD 0.48, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.74), explaining 37.68% and 67.24% of heterogeneity in placebo-controlled models. No significant differences were seen in biochemical markers or imaging outcomes.
Why it matters
Turmeric extracts offer an effective, better-tolerated alternative to NSAIDs for short-term symptom relief in knee osteoarthritis, although clinical efficacy is diminished in individuals with higher BMI.
Limits
Included studies were limited to short durations (maximum 16 weeks) with an overall moderate risk of bias. Heterogeneity was high for pain and function (I² > 86%). The treatment did not demonstrate structural disease-modifying effects on imaging or biochemical markers.
Cited by
- supports Studies show that turmeric/curcumin can reduce pain in patients with osteoarthritis.