A randomized pilot study published in Phytotherapy Research (2012;26[11]:1719–1725) examined the effects of curcumin in 45 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups:

  • Diclofenac sodium (50 mg/day), a COX-2–type NSAID

  • Curcumin (500 mg/day)

  • A combination of diclofenac and curcumin

Disease activity was assessed using the Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, which evaluate joint tenderness and swelling.

All three groups showed improvement. However, the curcumin-only group demonstrated greater improvement than the NSAID-only group, without the gastrointestinal or cardiovascular risks typically associated with NSAID use.

Why this matters:

This study suggests that curcumin may offer meaningful anti-inflammatory benefits in rheumatoid arthritis and, in some cases, may perform as well as—or better than—standard anti-inflammatory drugs. While larger trials are needed, the findings support curcumin as a potential adjunct or alternative approach within a broader, integrative care strategy.