Bio-optimized Curcuma longa extract is efficient on knee osteoarthritis pain : a double-blind multicenter randomized placebo controlled three-arm study

ObjectivesComparison of two doses of bio-optimized Curcuma longa extract (BCL) in the management of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA).MethodsA prospective, randomized, 3-month, double-blind, multicenter, three-group, placebo-controlled trial assessing Patient Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PGADA) and serum sColl2-1, a biomarker of cartilage degradation, as co-primary endpoints. Pain on visual analog scale (VAS), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and paracetamol/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) consumption were used as secondary endpoints.ResultsOne hundred fifty patients with knee OA were followed for 90days. Low and high doses of BCL showed a greater decrease of PGADA than placebo. Analysis of sColl2-1 showed in the placebo and BCL low-dose groups, but not in the BCL high-dose group, a transient but non-significant increase of sColl2-1 between T0 and T1. Thereafter, in all groups, sColl2-1 decreased between T1 and T3 (all p