May 9th, 2016

A study from Thailand found that Thai black pepper may be better than using prescription pain medication for knee osteoarthritis.

A Thailand study compared a 50 year old remedy called Sahastara (which contains Thai black pepper as the main ingredient) against a common pain medicine called Diclofenac (Voltaren). Diclofenac is a widely prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain associated with osteoarthritis. The Sahastara remedy has been used for the past 50 years in Thailand to also treat pain from osteoarthritis.

The study gathered data from 66 patients split into two groups with one group taking the Thai black pepper remedy and the other group taking the prescription NSAID. The results showed the Thai black pepper Sahastara remedy was similar and just as effective as the NSAID in handling the symptoms of knee pain, but did not have any toxicity levels in renal and kidney function as was seen in the group taking the NSAID Dicofenac.

Studies like this are needed to investigate alternatives to prescription pain medicines which can have toxic effects to the body, especially with the elderly.

To read the full article, click here, or visit www.hindawi.com.