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Enrolling by invitationPhase 1

Curcumin capsules for pain from arthritis at the base of the thumb

Tests curcumin against placebo for thumb joint arthritis pain in adults.

Key facts

Who runs it
Brent DeGeorge
Where
Charlottesville, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Registry title
Oral Curcumin for the Treatment of Pain of Thumb Base Joint (CMC) Arthritis
Status
Enrolling by invitation
Phase
Phase 1
People taking part
100 people, planned
Started
1 Feb 2025
Planned end
Feb 2026
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a placebo (a dummy treatment), for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Curcumin
  • Placebo
Record updated
19 December 2025

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults with arthritis at the base of the thumb, confirmed on X-ray, who have daily pain. It tests turmeric (curcumin) capsules against placebo.

Age
18 years or older.
Sex
Men and women can join. Women must use an approved form of birth control. Men must use condoms or sterilization and not father a baby during the study and for 90 days after the last dose.
Disease stage
Thumb base joint arthritis confirmed on X-ray. Daily pain greater than 5 and up to 9 out of 10. Pain for more than 30 days.
Earlier treatment
No curcumin or turmeric products within 3 months of the study. No corticosteroid injection in the 60 days before. No prior surgery for osteoarthritis.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Severe heart, lung, liver, gut, blood (including clotting problems) or kidney disease, or abnormal blood, clotting or liver test results.
  • Use of Coumadin or any blood thinner or antiplatelet medicine.
  • History of mental illness or drug or substance abuse; fibromyalgia and post-operative pain.
  • Pregnant, nursing or planning a pregnancy.
  • Taking certain listed medicines (or smoking) within 14 days of the study procedure; not speaking English, being blind or being in prison.

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 28 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
  • Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
  • Male or female, aged 18 years or older
  • For females, must be willing to use an approved form of birth control during this study. Acceptable forms of birth control:; Norplant; IUD (intrauterine device); Birth Control Patch; Depo-Provera; Sterilization; The following may be used if combined with other birth control methods:; Condoms; Diaphragm; Jellies or foam; Cervical cap; Sponge
  • For males, must be willing to not father a baby for the duration of the study and for 90 days after the last dose of study drug, or donate to a sperm back during this time. Must be willing to use an approved form of birth control during this time. Acceptable forms of birth control:; Condoms; Sterilization
  • Daily visual analog pain greater than 5 and ≤ 9 out of 10
  • Duration of pain for greater than 30 days
  • Presence of radiographically confirmed diagnosis of thumb basal joint arthritis

Who cannot take part

  • Use of any anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication
  • Participant has had a corticosteroid injection ≤ 60 days prior
  • Participant has had prior surgery for osteoarthritis treatment
  • Participants within 14 days of the study procedure taking prescription or non-prescription medication which are substrates of CYP3A4:; Itraconazole,; Ketoconazole,; Azamulin,; Troleandomycin,; Verapamil,; John's wart,; Phenobarbital,
  • Participants within 14 days of the study procedure taking prescription or non-prescription medication which are substrates of CYP2C19:; Nootkatone,; Ticlopidine,; Rifampin,; Omeprazole),
  • Participants within 14 days of the study procedure taking prescription or non-prescription medication which are substrates of CYP2C8:; Montelukast,; Quercetin,; Phenelzine,; Rifampin,; Clopidogrel ,
  • Participants within 14 days of the study procedure taking prescription or non-prescription medication which are substrates of CYP2C9:; Sulfaphenazole,; Tienilic acid,; Carbamazepine,; Apoflutamide ,; Fluconazole,; Celecoxib,
  • Participants within 14 days of the study procedure taking prescription or non-prescription medication which are substrates of CYP1A2:; alpha-Naphthoflavone,; Furafylline,; Phenytoin,; Rifampin,; Ritonavir,; smoking,; Teriflunomide,; Ciprofloxacin,; oral contraceptives,; Allopurinol
  • Participants within 14 days of the study procedure taking prescription or non-prescription medication which are substrates of CYP2B6 :; Sertraline,; Phencyclidine,; Thiotepa,; Ticlopidine,; Carbamazepine,; Efavirenz,; Rifampin,; Bupropion)
  • Severe cardiac, pulmonary, liver, gastrointestinal and hematological disease (including coagulopathy), and /or renal disease
  • History of mental illness
  • History of drug or substance abuse
  • Participant does not speak English
  • Participant is blind
  • Abnormal hematological, coagulation, and/or liver function test results
  • Coumadin use at time of screening
  • Participant who is incarcerated
  • Pre-existing curcumin or turmeric product usage within 3 months of the study period
  • Participant who has fibromyalgia and post-operative pain
  • Females who are pregnant, nursing or planning a pregnancy

Where in United States

  • University of VirginiaCharlottesville, United StatesEnrolling by invitation

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the use of turmeric (Curcumin) as a treatment for pain of thumb-joint arthritis. Turmeric is commonly being used as an over-the-counter treatment for musculoskeletal pain. Clinical trials have demonstrated a pain-relief benefit for knee osteoarthritis, however no clinical trial has been performed to establish efficacy of curcumin in humans for thumb-joint arthritis. The main question[s] it aims to answer are:

Read full original descriptionShow less

* Is Turmeric more effective than placebo at relieving pain for thumb-joint arthritis? A placebo is a look-alike substance that contains no active drug. * Is Turmeric more effective than placebo at improving patient-reported outcomes for CMC arthritis? * Is Turmeric safe for participants with thumb-joint arthritis?

Participants will:

* take 4 weeks of daily Turmeric capsules, * take 4 weeks of daily placebo capsules * answer daily surveys about how they are feeling and functioning.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Oral curcuminTreatment being tested

    Oral curcumin 500 mg capsules taken twice each day for 4 weeks.

    Treatment: Curcumin

  • PlaceboPlacebo, for comparison

    Oral placebo capsules taken twice each day for 4 weeks.

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Oral Curcumin for the Treatment of Pain of CMC Arthritis
Plain-language title
Curcumin capsules for pain from arthritis at the base of the thumbGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Record updated
19 December 2025