Recruiting

Turmeric

Sponsor:

Massachusetts General Hospital

Code:

NCT03017118

Conditions

Thumb Osteoarthritis

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 40+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Turmeric

Placebo

Study Details

Brief summary:

The aim of this study is to assess whether the use of a commercially available nutraceutical, turmeric, is an effective option to manage pain and stiffness in patients with basal joint arthritis. To conduct a pilot Randomized Controlled Trial evaluating the impact of turmeric on basal joint arthritis.

Conditions

Thumb Osteoarthritis

Study ID

NCT03017118

Start date

Aug 9, 2017

Status verified date

Nov, 2025

Completion date

Jan, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 40+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 40 years of age or older
  • English fluency and literacy
  • Seeking care for basal joint pain
  • Tender over basal joint
  • Positive distraction rotation test (rotation of the thumb metacarpal base while applying axial traction)
  • Radiographic evidence of Eaton stage 1 and 2 only

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Secondary gains (litigations or worker compensation) procedures that may interfere with patients' motivation for treatment
  • Inability or unwillingness to participate in a trial study
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis or other inflammatory disorder diagnoses
  • Post-traumatic osteoarthritis
  • Patients on Coumadin/Steroids/NSAIDs/Tylenol
  • Diabetes Mellitus
  • Pregnant or lactating women
  • Basal joint arthritis of Eaton stage 3
  • Patients seeking other treatment for their basal joint arthritis (splint, corticosteroid injection, surgery)

Study Design

Enrollment

60 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Turmeric

Subjects in this group will receive turmeric (100 mg pastille) 3 times per day for 6 weeks.

placebo comparator: Control

Subjects in this group will receive a placebo pill 3 times per day for 6 weeks.

Interventions

Turmeric

Subjects will receive turmeric (100 mg pastille) 3 times per day for 6 weeks.

Placebo

Subjects in the control group will receive a placebo 3 times per day for 6 weeks.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in baseline pain intensity [ Time Frame: Enrollment, 6 weeks, and 3 months ]
  • Change in baseline disability [ Time Frame: Enrollment, 6 weeks, and 3 months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Neal Chen, M.D.

617-726-4700nchen1@mgh.harvard.edu

Karan Amin, BA

kamin2@mgh.harvard.edu

Locations

Massachusetts General Hospital

Recruiting

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114

Contacts

Neal Chen, MD

617-726-4700nchen1@mgh.harvard.edu

Kiera Lunn, BSc

6177261569klunn@mgh.harvard.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital

Last update posted

Nov 24, 2025

Last verified

Nov, 2025

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Massachusetts General Hospital on 2025-11-24.