Dr. Raja Ganesh Rayudu, Department of Orthopaedics, Dr D Y Patil Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: rajaganesh70@gmail.com
Abstract
Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a leading cause of chronic pain and functional impairment among the elderly. Nutraceuticals are increasingly explored as safer alternatives to conventional pharmacological therapies. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of rose hip extract, curcumin, chondroitin, and type II collagen in patients with bilateral knee OA.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 2,000 patients with primary bilateral knee OA treated at Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College Hospital, Navi Mumbai, between August 2023 and August 2024. Patients were divided into four groups (n = 500 each), receiving either rose hip extract (750 mg BID), curcumin (1500 mg QD), chondroitin (400 mg QD), or collagen type II (40 mg QD) for 12 weeks. Outcomes assessed included visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index (WOMAC) scores, rescue medication use, and knee range of motion.
Results: All groups showed statistically significant reductions in VAS and WOMAC scores over 12 weeks (P < 0.05). The curcumin group showed the most pronounced improvement in pain reduction and functional scores. Collagen and chondroitin also demonstrated significant improvements, while rose hip extract showed moderate benefits. Use of rescue paracetamol declined consistently across all groups, especially in the collagen and curcumin cohorts.
Conclusion: Curcumin and type II collagen supplementation provided the greatest improvements in pain relief and functional outcomes among the nutraceuticals studied. Nutraceuticals present a viable non-pharmacologic management strategy for knee OA, especially in patients contraindicated for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Further studies are warranted to explore synergistic combinations and long-term outcomes.
Keywords: Knee osteoarthritis, nutraceuticals, curcumin, rose hip extract, chondroitin, collagen, visual analog scale, western ontario and mcmaster universities osteoarthritis index.
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