Case for herbal medicines in osteoarthritis treatment remains 'unconvincing'

13 January 2012
print version send to a friend share on facebook share on linkedin

There is little evidence to support or justify the widespread use of herbal medicines in treating the symptoms of osteoarthritis, it has been warned.

Reviewing these products in the latest issue of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB), the editors of the publication, which offers an independent review of medical treatments, said that trial results for the effectiveness of herbs, such as devil's claw, in treating the painful condition remain "equivocal", or ambiguous.

This is despite the fact that several products containing this particular herb have recently been approved for use.

Extracts from avocado and soybean oils, cat's claw, devil's claw, Indian frankincense, ginger, nettle, rosehip, turmeric and willow bark have all traditionally been used in the treatment of joint pain caused by osteoarthritis, which affects cartilage and surrounding areas in the joints.

DTB warned that very few studies have been carried out on the effectiveness of these herbal medicines in treating osteoporosis, going on to question the worth of those that had. It also pointed to the fact that those studies that have been undertaken tended to include small numbers of patients and usually only lasted for a short period of time, making it hard to draw convincing conclusions.

Arguing that "more robust data are needed", the review went on to state: "Herbal medicines can have significant pharmacological actions, and so can cause unwanted effects and have potentially dangerous interactions with other medicines (both herbal and conventional)."

As an example of this, it pointed to the extensive use of nettle, which has been shown to interfere with diabetes drugs, lower blood pressure and affect the central nervous system.

"Herbal medicines have traditionally been used for the relief of osteoarthritis symptoms. However, there is a lack of licensed herbal medicinal products on the market for such symptoms, and none specifically licensed for osteoarthritis," DTB concluded.

A spokesperson for Arthritis Ireland said: "Research has shown us that almost two thirds of people with arthritis try complementary medicines, despite little evidence to support their efficacy. Before deciding to take any supplement it is crucial that people consult their doctor to ensure it is not harmful and will not impact on the effectiveness of their arthritis medicine."