Effects of Arctium lappa L. (Burdock) root tea on inflammatory status and oxidative stress in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

AIM: This study was designed to examine the effect of Burdock root tea on inflammatory markers and oxidative stress indicators in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Thirty-six patients (10 men and 26 women) aged 50-70 years old with knee osteoarthritis referred to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Hospitals, were selected for the study and randomly divided into two groups. Anthropometric measurements, including height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were measured. For all individuals along the 42 days of study period, the same drug treatments, including two lots of 500 mg acetaminophen twice a day and one glucosamine 500 mg once a day,were considered. The intervention group received daily three cups of Burdock root tea (each cup containing 2 g/150 mL boiled water) half-hour after the meal. The control group received three cups containing 150 cc boiled water daily. We assessed inflammatory markers such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and oxidative stress indicators such as total antioxidants capacity (TAC), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The results showed that burdock root tea significantly decreased the levels of serum IL-6 (P = 0.002), hs-CRP (P = 0.003) and malondialdehyde (P < 0.001), while the levels of serum TAC (P < 0.001) and activities of SOD (P = 0.009) were significantly increased. GPX activities increased but not significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that Arctium lappa L. root tea improves inflammatory status and oxidative stress in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Effects of sesame seed supplementation on inflammatory factors and oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Considering the high prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) and since until now there has not been any human studies to evaluate the effect of sesame in OA patients, this study was designed to assess the effect of administration of sesame on inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with knee OA. Fifty patients with knee OA were allocated into two groups namely control and sesame group. 25 patients in the control group received 40 g placebo powder per day while 25 patients in the sesame group received 40 g of sesame seed daily during two months of study along with standard medical therapy. Serum total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde (MDA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. In the sesame group, a significant decrease in serum MDA and hs-CRP were seen after two months of study (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in post-treatment serum values of MDA, TAC and hs-CRP between two groups (P>0.05). Serum IL-6 decreased significantly in both groups compared with baseline during the two-month study (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in mean serum IL-6 between two groups after treatment (P=0.001). Sesame seed is a natural and safe substance that may have beneficial effects in patients with knee OA, and it may provide new complementary and adjunctive treatment in these patients.

Effects of sesame seed supplementation on clinical signs and symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

AIM: Up to now there have been no human studies to evaluate the effect of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in osteoarthritis patients; this study was designed to assess the effect of administration of sesame on clinical signs and symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Fifty patients with knee OA referred to the only specialty and subspecialty orthopedic centers in the north-west of Iran, were selected and divided into two groups, namely control and sesame groups. Twenty-five patients in the control group received standard treatment while 25 patients in the sesame group received 40 g/day sesame by oral administration during 2 months of the study along with standard drug therapy. The KOOS Questionnaire, Timed Up and Go (TUG) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) tests were used for clinical assessments. RESULTS: There was significant difference in pain intensity between the two groups (P = 0.004) after treatment. The mean score of the KOOS Questionnaire in both treatment and control groups was significantly increased (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively) compared with baseline. The mean score of the TUG Questionnaire in both treatment and control groups was significantly decreased (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively) compared with baseline. There was significant difference in post-treatment scores of the KOOS Questionnaire (P = 0.009) and TUG (P = 0.002) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed a positive effect of sesame in improving clinical signs and symptoms in patients with knee OA and indicated the fact that sesame might be a viable adjunctive therapy in treating OA.

WITHDRAWN: Evaluation of dry needling in patients with chronic heel pain due to plantar fasciitis.

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