This study compared the efficacy of an herbal
ointment to a placebo
ointment in relieving the
pain and stiffness of
osteoarthritis. The
herbal preparation contained substances believed by alternative practitioners to be helpful in treating
osteoarthritis. This study was a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Subjects were solicited from patients attending an
arthritis clinic in Dallas, Texas. Selection of subjects with
osteoarthritis was based on the criteria developed by the American College of Rheumatology. Subjects were randomized to an active (n = 11) or a placebo (n = 8) group. Herbal
ointment and control contained small amounts of
capsaicin and
menthol and were similar when applied. Subjects graded their levels of
pain and stiffness for a 1-week no-treatment baseline. Subjects then applied the herbal or
sham ointment to the involved joint(s) for 28 consecutive days and recorded their levels of
pain and stiffness daily on visual analog scales. Significant differences between the active and placebo groups for
pain (P < 0.05) and stiffness (P < 0.05) were found when the baseline phase was compared with the fourth week. An herbal
ointment was shown to be effective in relieving the
pain and stiffness of
osteoarthritis without adverse effects. If future studies confirm effectiveness of this treatment, it may have a role as an adjunct to standard
drug therapy.