Title:Randomised Clinical Trial Study: The Combination of Vitamin D and
Curcumin Piperine Attenuates Disease Activity and Pro-inflammatory
Cytokines Levels Insystemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients
Volume: 20
Issue: 5
Author(s): Cesarius Singgih Wahono, Hani Susianti, Arif Luqman Hakim, Firdha Rosita, Mirza Zaka Pratama*, Perdana Aditya Rahman and Muhammad Anshory
Affiliation:
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya - Saiful Anwar
General Hospital, Malang, Indonesia
Keywords:
Systemic lupus erythematosus, vitamin D, curcumin, piperine, disease activity, inflammatory cytokines.
Abstract:
Background: Curcumin-piperine might synergise with vitamin D to induce clinical remission
in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Objective: To observe the improvement of patients with SLE clinically and the levels of inflammatory
cytokines after receiving supplements of curcumin-piperine and cholecalciferol (Vitamin
D3).
Methods: Forty-five female SLE patients were included in a three-month double-blind, randomized
controlled trial. Participants were classified into: Group I (400 IU cholecalciferol + placebo
three times daily, n = 15), Group II (600 mg curcumin + 15,800 m piperine once daily and
three times daily placebo, n = 15), and Group III (cholecalciferol 400 IU three times and 600 mg
curcumin + 15,800 mg piperine once a day, n = 15). Mexican SLE disease activity score (Mex-
SLEDAI), fatigue severity scale (FSS), TGF-β, and IL-6 levels were measured from all patients before
and after the treatments.
Results: Mex-SLEDAI, FSS, and IL-6 were reduced significantly, while TGF-β serum levels were
increased in all groups after the treatments (p <0.05). Changes in Mex-SLEDAI score (p = 0.003
and p = 0.008), FSS (p = 0.001 and p <0.001), and TGF-β (p = 0.003 and p = 0.004) serum levels
were significantly higher in group III compared to the group I or group II. On the other hand,
changes in Mex-SLEDAI, FSS, IL-6, and TGF-β serum levels were similar between groups I and
II.
Conclusion: Although vitamin D or curcumin-piperine alone could improve the clinical outcome
and cytokines levels in SLE, curcumin-piperine combined with vitamin D had the best outcome in
improving the disease activity and cytokines levels among patients with SLE. (ClinicalTrials.gov
number, NCT05430087).