Curcumin + Aminosalicylic Acid (5ASA) Versus 5ASA Alone in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Ulcerative Colitis (5ASA)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01320436 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : March 22, 2011
Last Update Posted : February 12, 2016
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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease resulting in increased morbidity in patients. The current standard treatment for mild to moderate UC (MTMUC) includes 5-aminosalicylic compounds (5ASA) such as olsalazine and mesalamine, yet some patients continue to experience disease symptoms and flare-ups. These patients require higher dosages of 5ASA medications and in many cases escalate to steroid and/or immunosuppressant therapy which comprises higher risk of hazardous side effects.
Curcumin, an active ingredient of the Indian herb Rhizoma Curcuma Longa, has been extensively studied in the context of inflammatory diseases. In humans, a controlled study using curcumin as an adjusted therapy to 5ASA medication has shown it to be superior to placebo in maintaining remission in MTMUC patients . A small, preliminary open label study has also shown efficacy in reducing disease symptoms and inflammatory markers in this group of patients .
This data provides bases for investigating an integrative approach to optimize the current standard treatment in MTMUC patients. We speculate that using a combined therapy of 5ASA medication and curcumin could benefit this subgroup of patients and reduce morbidity and perhaps need for escalating pharmacological intervention.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Ulcerative Colitis | Dietary Supplement: Curcumin Drug: 5-aminosalicylic acid | Phase 3 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 50 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluated the Efficacy of Combining Curcumin+5ASA Medication Versus 5ASA Medication Alone on Active Mild to Moderate Ulcerative Colitis Patients |
Study Start Date : | July 2011 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | September 2014 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | October 2014 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Active Comparator: Treatments arm
Patients allocated for this arm will receive 5ASA medication (as advised by their treating physician) + 3 capsules (total of 820 mg each,containing 500 mg curcumin ) curcumin twice daily after meals.
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Dietary Supplement: Curcumin
3 capsules (820 mg containig 500 mg curcumin each) twice daily. Drug: 5-aminosalicylic acid The dosage of 5ASA medication will be the maximum dosage given in this group of patients according to clinical guidelines (4gr' per os + topical 1gr mesalamine
Other Name: Pentasa, Asacol, Rafasal, Mesalamine. |
Placebo Comparator: Control arm
Patients allocated to this arm will receive 5ASA medication (as advised by their treating physician) + 3 capsules (820gr each) of placebo twice a day after meals.
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Drug: 5-aminosalicylic acid
The dosage of 5ASA medication will be the maximum dosage given in this group of patients according to clinical guidelines (4gr' per os + topical 1gr mesalamine
Other Name: Pentasa, Asacol, Rafasal, Mesalamine. |
- The percentage of patients who achieve clinical remission compared between the two study arms. [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]The percentage of patients who achieve clinical remission compared between the two study arms at week 4 after induction of therapy. Clinical remission is defined as score of ≤2 in the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI) .
- Time to response [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]Time to response (TTR) compared between study and control groups. Response is defined as remission or significant improvement. TTR is defined by number of days to achieve clinical response.
- significant improvement [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]Percentage of patients that show significant improvement (drop of ≥3 points in SCCAI) compared between the two study arms at week 4 after induction of therapy.
- serologic markers [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]Improvement in serologic parameters according to Seo index
- Percentage of patient on corticosteroids or anti TNF treatment [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]
- improvement in endoscopic score [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]Improvement in endoscopic score compared to inclusion day (in subgroup of patients)
- Improvement in IBD questionnaire (IBDQ). [ Time Frame: 4 weeks ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 70 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of UC as confirmed by endoscopic or histologic criteria as established by RomeIII
- Disease activity score of >5 and ≤13 according to the Simple clinical colitis activity index (SCCAI)
- Patient on stable 5 ASA medication dose for at least 4 weeks prior to inclusion
- Patients who receive immunosuppressant or biological therapy (azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, infliximab or methotrexate) must be on stable dose for at least 3 months prior to inclusion
- Patients who receive topical therapy (5ASA or steroidal), must be on stable dose for a least 2 weeks prior to inclusion
- Patient had hemoglobin of >10 g/dl.
- Able and willing to give written consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patient with renal or liver disease, sever cardiovascular disease, chronic pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus or gallstone.
- Patient with laboratory abnormalities indicating anemia (hemoglobin <10), leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, abnormal coagulation.
- Patient with infection, sepsis or pneumonia.
- Pregnant or nursing women.
- Unable or unwilling to receive CURCUMIN therapy.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01320436
Israel | |
Sheba Medical Center | |
Ramat Gan, Israel |
Principal Investigator: | Alon Lang, MD | Sheba Medical Center | |
Principal Investigator: | Nir Salomon, C.Ac | Sheba Medical Center |
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | Dr. Alon Lang, MD, Sheba Medical Center |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01320436 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
SHEBA-10-8356-AL-CTIL |
First Posted: | March 22, 2011 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | February 12, 2016 |
Last Verified: | February 2016 |
Keywords provided by Dr. Alon Lang, Sheba Medical Center:
Ulcerative colitis Curcumin |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Colitis Ulcer Colitis, Ulcerative Gastroenteritis Gastrointestinal Diseases Digestive System Diseases Colonic Diseases Intestinal Diseases Pathologic Processes Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Curcumin Mesalamine Aminosalicylic Acid Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal |
Analgesics, Non-Narcotic Analgesics Sensory System Agents Peripheral Nervous System Agents Physiological Effects of Drugs Anti-Inflammatory Agents Antirheumatic Agents Antineoplastic Agents Enzyme Inhibitors Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Antitubercular Agents Anti-Bacterial Agents Anti-Infective Agents |