Trial suggests curcumin effective for rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers seeking relief without harmful side effects may find it in the Indian spice curcumin (the curry-flavored powder derived from the root turmeric), according to a new study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research. The first-of-its-kind trial, conducted at Nirmala Medical Centre in India, found that 1,000 mg of curcumin daily worked far better than pharmaceutical treatments for easing arthritis symptoms.

NFM: What prompted you to conduct this trial?

Ajay Goel: Curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory; it reduces oxidative stress, and we already know it plays an important role in various inflammatory diseases including cancer. I hear from people all the time who have arthritic conditions and say that it works. But, surprisingly, there has not been a single human clinical trial done on rheumatoid arthritis, which is essentially driven by inflammation. There was a big gap in knowledge, so we wanted to start by doing a pilot study to determine its safety and efficacy.

NFM: How is rheumatoid arthritis treated?

AG: The typical treatment starts with prescription anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and later on, once people stop responding, advances to more complex regimens (such as TNF inhibitors). The side effects of NSAIDS include stomach damage, susceptibility to infection in the intestinal lining and higher cardiovascular risk. Close to 20,000 Americans die of excessive long-term NSAID use each year. Because this is a chronic disease, and people who are on medication are going to be on it for a long time, they need something safe and efficacious.

NFM: How did you do the study?

AG: It was a randomized three-arm study of 45 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. (None were taking any medication at the onset of the study). In group one, patients received 50 mg of the NSAID diclofinac sodium for eight weeks. In the second group they received 500 mg twice a day of BCM-95 curcumin (a proprietary form of the nutrient shown in some studies to be more bioavailable). In the third group, we used a combination. We measured efficacy by looking at Disease Activity Scores (28 clinical parameters) and American College of Rheumatology criteria for reduction of tenderness and swelling of joints.

NFM: What did you find?

AG: In terms of safety, not a single patient dropped out of the curcumin group. In the diclofinac sodium group, 15 percent dropped out because of discomfort or lack of tolerance. When we looked at scores in all three groups, curcumin had the greatest effect on easing symptoms, followed by combination therapy, and then the diclofinac sodium group. This was completely unexpected and extremely encouraging.

NFM: What shortfalls do you see with this study?

AG: There was no placebo arm, and the sample size was too small. We are now planning another placebo-controlled trial.

NFM: Could curcumin be used for other forms of arthritis?

AG: Yes. It has been reported to be effective in alleviating pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

NFM: Do you recommend it for rheumatoid arthritis?

AG: Would I recommend they give up their conventional drug and start taking this? No. Start off with a combination therapy and then taper off the NSAIDs in time.

NFM: Would you suggest a dose?

AG: 500 mg to 1 g per day. Even if you are healthy and have no symptoms, spreading a little curcumin on your food or taking a supplement might be a good idea. There are close to 70 curcumin clinical trials underway on different diseases—including Alzheimer’s, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Multiple Sclerosis—and 5,000 articles examining it.

NFM: What should a retailer look for in a curcumin supplement?