Curcumin for Joint Pain & Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis / Osteo Arthritis

• There are no known causes.
• Symptoms worsens over a period of time.
• And there is no known cure available so far.

But as per scientific research some combination of genetics & environmental factors may play a role in disease progression which may never go.

Objective:

The main objective is to:

• To reduce joint inflammation & pain
• To prevent joint damage
• To maximize joint function

Remedies

The treatment options as per guidelines for the arthritic patient is prescription drugs i.e DMARD’s (Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs),which includes Biologics, NSAIDs, Steroids, Narcotics, Pain relievers & Lubricating Injections(Hyalurolic Acid Derivatives), with a long list of side effects.

But , these drugs do nothing to stop the bone and joint destruction caused by osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Beyond that, the patient must learn to live with their crippling pain and limited mobility.

Curcumin – An Extract of Turmeric

• Curcumin is derived from the bright yellow indian spice turmeric as an extract and has been used by traditional medicine for almost 4000 years.
• Curcumin is well established in the medical literature as a powerful anti-inflammatory ingredient with more than 4500 published research studies.
• Curcumin acts through multiple pathways and on numerous targets to limit the inflammatory response that underlies both rheumatoid and Osteo Arthritis unlike other pharmaceutical drugs.
• Curcumin by slowing naturally occurring cell death in joint tissue help preserve supple, youthful joints.
• Curcumin by blocking the inflammatory pathways and thereby preventing the increased production of a protein that triggers swelling and pain.
• Curcumin has been shown to influence more than 700 Genes.
• Curcumin can inhibit both the excessive activity and the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) and 5 lipoxygenase(5-LOX) as well as other enzymes that have been implicated in inflammation & associated Pains.
• Curcumin also reduces markers of systemic inflammation such as C-Reactive Protein(CRP)

Molecular Targets Inhibited by Curcumin

Curcumin suppresses activity of at least 5 categories of molecular signals that promote inflammation & joint destruction in Rheumatoid Arthritis and are implicated in many cancers.

• TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) :destroys joint cartilage and other tissues
• VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) : Promotes excessive blood vessel growth in inflamed joints and in cancers.
• EGF (Human Epidermal Growth Factor) :of high-energy ATP to lower-energy AMP in all four cell lines.
• ER’s (Estrogen Receptors) :decreases effectiveness of drugs used in rheumatoid arthritis and promotes growth of many breast cancers.
• NF-kB (Nuclear Factor-Kappa B) :a potent inducer of inflammatory cascade by activating the genes responsible for inflammatory compounds.

Curcumin treated patients hurt less

Patients experienced significant improvement in their DAS (Disease Activity Scores) by 44.5% as compared to 42.1% of standard arthritis drugs.

PSMP (Patients Self-Measured Pain) Score had a greater difference in favour of curcumin group only, which had a mean 60% reduction as compared to 50% in standard arthritis drugs.

Curcumin treated patient’s joint’s were less swollen & tender

The curcumin treated patients had the largest number experiencing reduction in overall joint swelling (70%) & reduction in tenderness (93%).

Curcumin treated patient’s induced measurable changes on blood tests of inflammation

The curcumin treated patients saw reductions in ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) 11.2% as compared to 8.3% reduction in standard arthritis drugs.

C-Reactive-Protein (CRP) i.e. capable of detecting systemic inflammation, the curcumin treated patients had a 52% reduction in CRP as compared to merely 1.5% in standard arthritis drugs.

Effects of Ginger Extract in Joint Pain / Arthritis

Ginger extract significantly inhibits the pro inflammatory cytokines (IL-12, TNF-α & IL-1β) in LPS-induced macrophages

It inhibits cytokine expression.

Gingerols inhibits LPS-induced COX-2 expression.

Ginger extract inhibits the activities of COX-2 enzymes.

It blocks protien and mRNA expressions of iNOS & COX-2.

It significantly decreases LPS-induced nitric oxide (As high level of nitric oxide & iNOS play a major role in cartilage damage & inflammation during development of RA).

Further it reduces lysosmal enzymes.

Inhibits lactate- dehydrogenese & acid phosphate implicated in gouty arthritis.

Anti- inflammatory acitivity of ginger was experimently compared with ibuprofen (a market available anti-inflammatory drug prescribed for arthritis patients) by Haghighi & his group. Ginger & ibuprofen both showed similar anti-inflammatory activities indicating ginger as a potent anti-inflammatory compound.

Analgesic effect of ginger extract was evaluated in 261 patients affected with osteoarthritis of the knee by Yoshikawa’s group. Among all patients 247(94.6 %) patients claimed to have reduction in pain indicating potential analgesic effect of ginger extract.

SUMMARY

Curcumin’s effectiveness against Rheumatoid/ Osteo Arthritis :

• As per study conducted in 2012 on effectiveness of curcumin in comparison to the standard arthritis drugs,like (diclofenac sodium).
• Scientists concluded that the results provide evidence of the anti-arthritic properties of curcumin and its potential for treating Rheumatoid/ Osteo Arthritis.
• Curcumin reduced joint inflammation & pain.
• Prevents joint damage.
• Depriving the malignant cells of their energy supply is an ideal way of uplifting our bodies’ natural cancer resistance, helping it quench cancer long before a tumor is detectable.
• Also maximizes joint functionalities.