Riassunto dello studio

Seven randomized controlled trials with a total of 545 patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive either Boswellia/Boswellia extract or control (i.e., placebo, other conventional therapies). Primary outcomes of interest included change in pain evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and WOMAC pain, function evaluated using WOMAC function and the Lequesne index, and stiffness using WOMAC stiffness. Secondary outcomes of interest included WOMAC pain, WOMAC stiffness, WOMAC function, and VAS pain at 4, 8, and 12 weeks follow-up, as well as incidence of adverse events. Pooled results demonstrated that changes in VAS pain, WOMAC pain, WOMAC stiffness, WOMAC function, and Lequesne index were all statistically significantly in favour of the Boswellia group compared to control (p<0.05 for all). The pooled incidence of adverse events was not statistically significantly different between the 2 groups (p>0.05). All pooled secondary outcomes, excluding VAS pain at 12 weeks (p=0.15) and WOMAC stiffness at 8 weeks, (p=0.06) were statistically significantly in favour of the Boswellia group compared to control (p<0.05 for all).