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Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine Vol. 10 No. 2 May-August 2012 123

Abstract
A Comparison of Efficacy and Side Effects of Knee Osteoarthritis Treatments with
Crude Derris scandens and Ibuprofen
Sittikom Benchakanta*, Sivaporn Puttiwong*, Nuchajarin Boontan*, Mantana Wichit*, Suntorn
Wapee*, Sutima Kansombud*
*Leongnokta Crown Prince Hospital, Yasothorn, Thailand
Health-care personnel at a Loengnoktha hospital have used crude Derris scandens Benth
(thaowanpriang in Thai). For the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) for many years and they
claim that D. scandens crude is effective without any evidence from research.
The objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy, patients’ satisfaction and safety
of D. scandens crude in pain reduction and functional improvement in patients with knee OA in
a community hospital.
This is a prospective, double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial conducted at Loengnoktha
Crown Prince Hospital in Yasothon province, Thailand, among 178 outpatients with primary OA
of the knee. The patients were randomized to receive ibuprofen 400 mg after meal three times
per day or D. scandens crude 1,000 mg after meal three times per day for seven days. The out-
come was measured by evaluating patients’ symptoms using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) on
days 0, 3, and 8, as well as compliance with medication, satisfaction, and hematologic and blood
chemistry changes after treatment.
Of all 178 patients, 88 and 90 were randomized to take ibuprofen and D. scandens crude,
respectively. The baseline characteristics of the patients in both groups were not significantly
different. The rates of compliance with ibuprofen and D. scandens crude were 77.3% and 73.3%,
respectively (p > 0.05). The mean VAS outcomes on days 3 and 8 improved significantly com-
pared to the baseline values. The severity of symptoms after treatment and the response rates
were not significantly different between both groups. Side effects were observed in 39.77% and
35.55% of the patients in the ibuprofen and Derris groups, respectively. No hematologic and
blood chemistry changes were observed after treatment in both groups. Most of the patients in
both groups were satisfied with the treatments they had received. The data were analyzed using
descriptive statistics, i.e. two-way repeat measure ANOVA, student t-test and non-parametric
tests where appropriate.
There were no differences in efficacy and safety in the treatments of knee osteoarthritis with
D. scandens crude for seven consecutive days and ibuprofen.
Key words: crude of Derris scandens Benth; ibuprofen; knee osteoarthritis