Curcumin for osteoarthritis pain, function and stiffness
What it found
In people with osteoarthritis, curcumin and Curcuma longa extract reduced pain, improved joint function and eased stiffness compared with placebo.
The authors say it may be a safer and effective supplement.
What they found
Studies in people
Pain relief
Compared with placebo, curcumin reduced pain scores on the VAS and WOMAC scales. Compared with NSAIDs, curcumin had similar effects on pain.
Joint function
Curcumin improved joint function (WOMAC-function) compared with placebo. There was no statistical difference between curcumin and NSAIDs for function.
Joint stiffness
Curcumin reduced joint stiffness (WOMAC-stiffness) compared with placebo. Curcumin and NSAIDs had similar effects on stiffness.
Adverse events
The incidence of adverse events was similar between curcumin and placebo. Curcumin had a lower incidence of adverse events than NSAIDs. Adding curcumin to NSAIDs did not increase adverse events.
Combination with NSAIDs
Curcumin plus NSAIDs reduced pain, improved function and stiffness more than NSAIDs alone. The addition of curcumin did not increase adverse events.
Treatment duration
Pain, function and stiffness all showed improvement after 12 weeks of intervention. The authors suggest that 12 weeks may be an important time point.
What the authors conclude
“Curcuma longa extract and curcumin may be a safer and effective supplement for OA patients.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that Curcuma longa extract and curcumin can relieve pain and joint stiffness in patients with osteoarthritis, improve joint function, and would not increase the occurrence of adverse events.
- They recommend using Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplement for osteoarthritis patients for more than 12 weeks.
- They suggest that future randomised controlled trials can focus on different usage and dosage, and the curative effect of combination with other drugs.
How it was done
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used for osteoarthritis but their adverse reactions are a concern. Curcuma longa and curcumin have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and may be an alternative.
The authors pooled 15 randomised controlled trials involving 1621 participants with osteoarthritis. The trials compared Curcuma longa extract or curcumin with placebo, NSAIDs, or added to NSAIDs or glucosamine.
What it can’t tell you
- The review cannot show whether curcumin works for osteoarthritis in the long term beyond the study durations.
- It cannot show whether curcumin prevents osteoarthritis or slows its progression.
- The results may not apply to all people with osteoarthritis, as the trials varied in preparation, dosage and population.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare that there are no competing interests associated with the manuscript.
- Authors work at
- Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China; People's Hospital of Ningxiang City, China; Institute of Materia Medica, China
The paper
- Title
- The efficacy and safety of Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements on osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Type
- Systematic review and meta-analysisThe authors follow a set, published method to find every relevant study, then combine the numbers from them into one result.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Zeng L, Yu G, Hao W, Yang K, Chen H (2021). The efficacy and safety of Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements on osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Bioscience reports. doi:10.1042/BSR20210817Free full textPubMed 34017975DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error