title: Adjunctive Therapy with Curcumin for Peptic Ulcer: a Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Curcumin, the bioactive ingredient of turmeric, has been shown to improve the treatment of peptic ulcer (PU) in animal studies. However, clinical studies confirming this effect of curcumin have been scant.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of adjunctive therapy with curcumin on the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection and severity of dyspepsia in patients with PU.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group trial, patients diagnosed with PU were assigned to standard H. pylori eradication triple therapy with clarithromycin (500 mg b.i.d.), amoxicillin (1 000 mg b.i.d.) and pantoprazole (40 mg b.i.d.), and randomized to receive either curcumin (500 mg/day) or placebo as adjunct to standard treatment. Severity of dyspepsia symptoms was evaluated using the Hong Kong dyspepsia index (HKDI). Eradication of H. pylori infection was assessed using the urea breath test (UBT) at 4 weeks following the end of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjunctive therapy with curcumin was associated with a greater improvement of dyspepsia symptoms according to the HKDI score (change score: -12.90±2.81 vs. -9.60±3.39 in the curcumin and control group, respectively; p<0.001). The number of subjects whose dyspepsia was resolved during the course of treatment was significantly higher in the curcumin (27.6%) vs. placebo (6.7%) group (p=0.042). Nevertheless, the results of UBT test showed equal rate (73.3%) of H. pylori eradication in the study groups. Curcumin was safe during the course of trial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Addition of curcumin on top of the standard anti-helicobacter regimen in patients with PU is safe and improves dyspepsia symptoms but has no enhancing effect on the eradication of H. pylori infection.
authors.affiliation: Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khonche
authors.affiliation: Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Biglarian
authors.affiliation: Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Panahi
authors.affiliation: Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valizadegan
authors.affiliation: Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Soflaei
authors.affiliation: Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ghamarchehreh
authors.affiliation: Sabinsa Inc, Princeton, NJ, United States.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Majeed
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahebkar
mesh_terms: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003474:Curcumin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077402:Pantoprazole; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D000658:Amoxicillin; D000077402:Pantoprazole; D017291:Clarithromycin; D003474:Curcumin