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eCAM Advance Access originally published online on July 26, 2005
eCAM 2005 2(3):363-368; doi:10.1093/ecam/neh104
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© The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
The online version of this article has been published under an open access model. Users are entitled to use, reproduce, disseminate, or display the open access version of this article for non-commercial purposes provided that: the original authorship is properly and fully attributed; the Journal and Oxford University Press are attributed as the original place of publication with the correct citation details given; if an article is subsequently reproduced or disseminated not in its entirety but only in part or as a derivative work this must be clearly indicated. For commercial re-use, please contact journals.permissions{at}oupjournals.org

Blood-nourishing and Hard-softening Capsule Costs Less in the Management of Osteoarthritic Knee Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Yuelong Cao1, Yinyu Shi1, Yuxing Zheng1, Meiyu Shi1 and Sing Kai Lo1,2,*

1Research Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai, China, and 2Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Deakin University Melbourne, Australia

The blood-nourishing and hard-softening (BNHS) capsule is a traditional Chinese formula used in the symptomatic treatment of inflammation and pain. We conducted this randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of BNHS with other commonly prescribed drugs. We recruited 120 patients from two teaching hospitals; 30 patients in each hospital were randomly assigned to receive BNHS. In one hospital, the 30 controls were given another traditional Chinese drug; whereas a Western medicine (chondroprotection drug/Viartril-s) was used as the control in the other hospital. Intervention was carried out over a period of 4 weeks. Primary outcome measures included self-reported pain level, and changes in stiffness and functional ability as measured by the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index. Mixed models were used for statistical analysis. Substantial improvements in disease-specific symptoms were observed, after 4 weeks of treatment, in patients taking BNHS capsules. As assessed by the WOMAC index, pain level of the BNHS group decreased by 57% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 50, 63], stiffness by 63% (95% CI = 55, 71) and functional ability increased by 56% (95% CI = 50, 63). No significant differences were found in any of the outcome measures between the BNHS group and either of the comparison groups. No severe adverse effects were reported. However, this study lacked a placebo group; therefore, we conclude that BNHS appears to be as effective as commonly prescribed medicines for the relief of pain and dysfunction in knee osteoarthritis patients, but costs a lot less than other Western and herbal drugs in the study.

Keywords: Chinese herbal medicine – chondroprotection drug – WOMAC

*For reprints and all correspondence: Professor Sing Kai Lo, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia. Tel: +61-3-9251-7314; Fax: +61-3-9244-6261; E-mail: singkai.lo{at}deakin.edu.au


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