Curcuminoids and Boswellia serrata extracts combination decreases tendinopathy symptoms: findings from an open-label post-observational study

Abstract

Background: To investigate the effects of 1-month treatment in addition to standard care with a food supplement containing both Curcuma longa and Boswellia serrata extracts on tendinopathy symptoms.

Method: This open-label, non-controlled, post-observational study included 670 patients suffering from tendinopathy recruited at different sites by Belgian general practitioners. Patients received a medical prescription for 1-month treatment with two tablets twice a day of a pharmaceutical grade food supplement containing both C. longa and B. serrata extracts. Pain and functional limitation were evaluated using a visual analog scale at the inclusion and 1-month treatment later. Patient satisfaction, concomitant drugs intake and side effects were also recorded.

Results: After 1-month treatment, pain and functional limitation were significantly improved whatever the cause of tendinopathy, its localization, and the duration of symptoms. The pain score decreased from 6.16 ± 1.53 to 2.98 ± 1.64 (p < .0001), yielding a drop of 51.6% and the functional limitation score fell after 1-month treatment from 5.96 ± 1.73 to 2.88 ± 1.67 (p < .0001) corresponding to a drop of 51.6%. The percentage of patients taking at least one concomitant treatment at the end of the treatment period had decreased from 81.3% to 61.8% (p < .0001). Only 43 (6.5%) patients reported side effects. No severe adverse effects related to the product were reported.

Conclusion: The combination of C. longa and B. serrata extracts improves symptoms in patients suffering of tendinopathy and shows a good safety. Although its effect will have to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials, it can be considered as a helpful support of standard symptomatic treatments for tendinopathies.

Highlights

• Tendinopathy is a common disease representing 30% of all consultations with a general practitioner for musculoskeletal disorders.

• The combination of Curcuminoids and Boswellia serrata extracts are efficient on tendinopathy symptoms in support of standard symptomatic treatments.

• The combination of Curcuminoids and B. Serrata extract is safe and can be administrated for at least 1 month in addition of analgesic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Keywords:

• Tendinopathy
• tendon
• curcumin
• boswellic acids
• clinical study

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This study was financed by Tilman SA (Baillonville, Belgium).

Declaration of financial/other relationships

YH is the founder and the president of ARTIALIS SA, a spin-off Company of the University of Liege. He has also received consulting fees from Bepharbel, GSK, Kiomed Pharma SA (formerly Synolyne Pharma SA), Nestle, Genequine, Flexion therapeutics, IBSA, BioIberica, Laboratoires Expanscience, Royal canin, MagPharm, LABRHA, Pfizer, Thuasne, and Tilman SA. YD and GD are employees of Tilman SA. AA and LS declared no conflict of interest. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Authors’ contributions

YH wrote the paper and interpreted the data. YD and GD designed the study and collected the data. AA and LS made the statistical analyses. All authors revised the article critically for important intellectual content. All authors have given final approval of the version to be published. All authors agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Acknowledgements

None stated.

Notes

i Flexofytol PLUS is a registered trademark of Tilman SA, Baillonville, Belgium.