title: The efficacy of Plygersic gel for use in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An evaluation of the efficacy of the combination of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and plai (Zingiber cassumunar) gel for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee using 1% diclofenac gel as a comparator.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of the combination of 4% ginger and plai extract in a gel (Plygersic gel) as compared with a 1% solution of diclofenac in patients with osteoarthritis knees. The number of participants in each group totaled fifty. The length of treatment was a 6 week period. The efficacy of the drugs was monitored by using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). The t-test was used to compare the scores before and after treatments in each group. The repeated ANOVA was used to compare the scores between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both Plygersic gel and diclofenac gel could significantly improve knee joint pain, symptoms, daily activities, sports activities and quality of life measured by KOOS following 6 weeks of treatment. In the repeated ANOVA, there were no differences in the results between the Plygersic and diclofenac gel groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plygersic gel relieves joint pain and improves problematic symptoms and improves the quality of life in osteoarthritis knees during a 6 week treatment regimen with no differences to the 1% Diclofenac gel group.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Khlong-loung, Pathumthani, Thailand. sunyarn@yahoo.com
authors: Sunyarn
authors: S
authors: Niempoog
authors: Parkpoom
authors: P
authors: Siriarchavatana
authors: Tanwarat
authors: T
authors: Kajsongkram
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D020939:Zingiber officinale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005782:Gels; D010936:Plant Extracts; C579516:Plygersic gel; D004008:Diclofenac