by Case Adams
(GreenMedInfo) French hospital researchers have confirmed that a combination of herbs together with bromelain from pineapples can significantly reduce joint pain from osteoarthritis.
The researchers gave a combination of two herbal extracts – Devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) and Turmeric (Curcuma longa) – and bromelain – a enzyme complex from pineapples – to 42 patients with osteoarthritis. The patients suffered either from acute pain of osteoarthritis or less acute but chronic pain.
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This was an open-label study, meaning the patients knew what they were taking. It was not placebo-controlled. However, it was a multi-center study, conducted among eight rheumatology treatment clinics.
The patients were given two 650 milligram capsules three times a day to the patients with acute pain, and twice a day to those in the chronic group.
The patients in the acute group were followed up after 15 days, while the chronic pain group was followed up after 60 days. The patients’ pain levels were measured using the assessments of both the doctor and the patient, as well as the 100 millimeter visual analogue scale (VAS). This is a visual scale that rates symptoms between mild and slight, moderate, severe, or severe to agonizing. Statistical information included tolerance levels and patient acceptable symptom state, or PASS.