Turmeric put to the test for thumb arthritis relief
NCT ID NCT03017118
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether turmeric, a common spice, can reduce pain and stiffness in people with thumb arthritis. Sixty adults will take either turmeric or a placebo three times a day for six weeks. Researchers will measure changes in pain and hand function to see if turmeric offers real benefits.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- turmeric
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, natural option to manage thumb arthritis pain and stiffness.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early pilot study with only 60 people. The results may not apply to everyone, and turmeric might work no better than a placebo.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Aug 2017
- Expected to finish
-
Jan 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
40 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 40 years of age or older * English fluency and literacy * Seeking care for basal joint pain * Tender over basal joint * Positive distraction rotation test (rotation of the thumb metacarpal base while applying axial traction) * Radiographic evidence of Eaton stage 1 and 2 only Exclusion Criteria: * Secondary gains (litigations or worker compensation) procedures that may interfere with patients' motivation for treatment * Inability or unwillingness to participate in a trial study * Rheumatoid Arthritis or other inflammatory disorder diagnoses * Post-traumatic osteoarthritis * Patients on Coumadin/Steroids/NSAIDs/Tylenol * Diabetes Mellitus * Pregnant or lactating women * Basal joint arthritis of Eaton stage 3 * Patients seeking other treatment for their basal joint arthritis (splint, corticosteroid injection, surgery)
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Thumb osteoarthritis are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Could an app replace the clinic for hand arthritis relief?
- Which surgery best eases thumb arthritis pain? a Head-to-Head test
- Thumb arthritis surgery showdown: new joint implant vs. traditional bone removal
- Shorter thumb cast may speed recovery after arthritis surgery
- Laser vs. exercise: which eases thumb arthritis best?
- Thumb arthritis surgery showdown: simple removal vs. reconstruction