Plant Extracts Show Promise in Hand Osteoarthritis Relief

TOPLINE:

In patients with symptomatic hand osteoarthritis (OA) who took two tablets daily containing a combination of patented plant extracts of Curcuma longa and Boswellia serrata, a significant reduction in pain was observed compared with that in those who took placebo over 3 months, with a favourable safety profile.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a double-blind, randomised controlled trial across 11 centres in Belgium (2022-2024) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of plant extracts in hand OA.
• They included 162 adults with symptomatic hand OA (mean age, 63.1 years; 76.5% women) who reported hand pain on ≥ 50% of days in the prior month and ≥ 48 hours before baseline, with pain ranging from 40 to 80 mm on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) in at least one hand over the last 24 hours.
• The patients were randomly assigned to receive two identical looking tablets of either the combination of plant extracts (n = 83) or placebo (n = 79) daily for 3 months.
• The primary outcome was the mean change in finger pain on both hands during the past 24 hours on the VAS over 3 months.
• Several secondary outcomes evaluated at months 1 and 3 included pain on the VAS, number of painful and swollen joints, patient global assessment, and quality of life. Safety outcomes were assessed throughout the study.

TAKEAWAY:

• At month 3, patients who received the plant extracts had a greater mean VAS pain reduction of 24.7 mm compared with 16.2 mm in those who received placebo (difference, -8.5 mm; P = .03); similar benefit was observed at month 1 (difference, -7.0 mm; P = .04).
• Patients receiving the plant extracts vs placebo showed significant improvements in the patient global assessment (difference, -9.6 mm; P = .01) and quality of life score (P = .01) at month 3.
• Mean global compliance was more than 90% in both groups, with no significant difference.
• The number of adverse effects did not differ significantly between the two groups, and most of them were unrelated to the use of plant extracts.

IN PRACTICE:

“The investigational product used in the study is an option for healthcare providers and researchers working on novel pain relief products,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Yves Henrotin, Princess Paola Hospital and University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. It was published online on June 17, 2025, in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.

LIMITATIONS:

The authors excluded the evaluation of short-term pain to confirm the rapid action of the combination of plant extracts. Imaging outcomes including x-ray or ultrasound were missing, which prevented the assessment of inflammation or bone erosion. Multiple secondary endpoints may have affected the statistical interpretation, with increased odds of obtaining the significant results.

DISCLOSURES:

This study received funding from Tilman SA. Two authors reported receiving speaker fees from the funding agency.

REFERENCES:

Henrotin Y, de Schrijver F, De Vlam K, et al. Effect of a combination of C. longa and B. serrata extracts on hand osteoarthritis. Results of a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Osteoarthr Cartil. Published online June 17, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2025.06.005

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.