Turmeric Extract Excels in Clinical Trial for Osteoarthritis

Tumeric Extract Excels in Clinical Trial for Osteoarthritis

A special, patented extract of the roots of tumeric has proven to be effective at relieving pain and increasing flexibility in osteoarthritis patients, according to the results of a new clinical trial.

Italian scientists have studied the extract and its effects on 50 patients with X-ray diagnoses osteoarthritis in either one or both knees. The special tumeric formulation is called Meriva. The trial split patients into two groups: one receiving standard medical treatments, and one that included the new extract into the standard medical treatment.

The team recorded the results after 90 days. They found that compared to the controls, the patients receiving Meriva experienced a 58% decrease in their overall pain, stiffness, and physical functionality. This was measured by the medical scoring method developed by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC. The Social and Emotional Index (SEI) was also used and these patients’ scores reported a greater than 300% improvement.

The blood tests indicated that patients in the Merica group with elevated levels of C-reactive protein experienced a 16-fold decrease of the inflammation marker. Additionally, the Meriva group patients were able to reduce their reliance on standard painkillers by 63%.

The researchers concluded that adding Meriva improved the clinical benefit of standard NSAIDs-based treatment of osteoarthritis. Meriva also demonstrated a high degree of safety without producing serious adverse side effects.

"This is great news for people who suffer from osteoarthritis and the physicians who treat them," said Mark Blumenthal, Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit American Botanical Council, in a press release.

"Turmeric has long been known to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties and this trial, on this special turmeric extract, is another important step towards validating the curcumin in turmeric as an increasingly popular herbal dietary supplement. When one considers the overall safety of turmeric extract and curcumin, especially compared to some of the pharmaceutical drugs which have had to be removed from the market due to serious safety concerns, the growing clinical evidence for the use of turmeric extract is compelling," he added.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/special-turmeric-extract-benefits-osteoarthritis-patients-102967864.html

A special, patented extract of the roots of turmeric has proven to be effective at relieving pain and increasing flexibility in osteoarthritis patients, according to the results of a new clinical trial.

Italian scientists have studied the extract and its effects on 50 patients with X-ray diagnoses osteoarthritis in either one or both knees. The special turmeric formulation is called Meriva. The trial split patients into two groups: one receiving standard medical treatments, and one that included the new extract into the standard medical treatment.

The team recorded the results after 90 days. They found that compared to the controls, the patients receiving Meriva experienced a 58% decrease in their overall pain, stiffness, and physical functionality. This was measured by the medical scoring method developed by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC. The Social and Emotional Index (SEI) was also used and these patients’ scores reported a greater than 300% improvement.

The blood tests indicated that patients in the Merica group with elevated levels of C-reactive protein experienced a 16-fold decrease of the inflammation marker. Additionally, the Meriva group patients were able to reduce their reliance on standard painkillers by 63%.

The researchers concluded that adding Meriva improved the clinical benefit of standard NSAIDs-based treatment of osteoarthritis. Meriva also demonstrated a high degree of safety without producing serious adverse side effects.

"This is great news for people who suffer from osteoarthritis and the physicians who treat them," said Mark Blumenthal, Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit American Botanical Council, in a press release.

"Turmeric has long been known to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties and this trial, on this special turmeric extract, is another important step towards validating the curcumin in turmeric as an increasingly popular herbal dietary supplement. When one considers the overall safety of turmeric extract and curcumin, especially compared to some of the pharmaceutical drugs which have had to be removed from the market due to serious safety concerns, the growing clinical evidence for the use of turmeric extract is compelling," he added.