Efficacy of individualized Chinese herbal medication in osteoarthrosis of hip and knee: a double-blind, randomized-controlled clinical study

Research into effective treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) is ongoing. In this trial, 102 patients with knee or hip OA were randomized to receive specific, active or nonspecific, control herbal therapy on the basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The purpose was to determine whether active preparations of low-dose Chinese herbs provided a stark reduction in symptoms associated with OA. After 20 weeks of decoction therapy with the herbs, the results indicated a significant reduction in OA symptoms with the specific preparations. However, the improvement was similar to that observed with control preparations.