Efficacy of Cabbage Leaf Wraps in the Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Abstract

CLWs are more effective for knee OA than UC, but not compared with diclofenac gel. Therefore, they might be recommended for patients with OA of the knee. Further research is warranted.

Efficacy of Cabbage Leaf versus Cooling Gel Pad or Diclofenac Gel for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Open-Labeled Controlled Clinical Trial

“…For the primary outcome, an average pain intensity of cabbage leaf wraps on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of 37.0 ± 23.1 mm at the baseline was expected [ 7 ]. Therefore, the minimum calculated sample size was 20 in the experimental group (cabbage leaf intervention), considering a 5% loss to follow-up proportion.…”

“…Therefore, the minimum calculated sample size was 20 in the experimental group (cabbage leaf intervention), considering a 5% loss to follow-up proportion. The minimal clinically important difference in the Visual Analog Scale pain score in a previous study was 8.6 mm [ 7 ]. To evaluate the difference between the Oxford Knee Score and NRS score among interventions and the control group (patients receiving diclofenac gel), the minimal clinically important difference formula was used with an estimated group difference between interventions and the control group at week four with 8.6 ± 8.2 mm, 95% confidence level, and considering 5% loss to follow-up proportion.…”

“…Guccione et al [ 6 ] reported the use of cabbage leaf compresses to relieve pain in patients with OA. Lauche et al [ 7 ] carried out a randomized controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of cabbage leaf therapy in patients with knee OA and observed a positive impact on the alleviation of OA symptoms with a reduction in pain, lessened functional disability after 4 weeks, and improvement in overall quality of life after 12 weeks. Clinical trials including those conducted by Boi et al [ 8 ], Nikodem et al [ 9 ], and Roberts et al [ 10 ] demonstrated the efficacy of cabbage leaf compression in relieving the pain associated with breast congestion in breastfeeding mothers.…”

“…Furthermore, a quasi-experimental study conducted by Kaur and Saini [ 12 ] showed similar results among postnatal mothers treated by chilled cabbage leaf application and demonstrated it to be an effective home remedy in reducing the severity of breast engorgement. However, very few studies have focused on cabbage leaf compression for pain relief in patients with OA [ 7 ].…”

Effects of Nutritional Interventions in the Control of Musculoskeletal Pain: An Integrative Review

“…Some foodstuffs are potentially considered beneficial to reduce musculoskeletal pain including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains [ 12 ]. Several foods or substances with functional properties have been studied for their anti-inflammatory effects and/or their possible treatment of pain, such as omega-3 present in fish oil [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ], olive oil [ 17 , 18 ], turmeric [ 19 ], and green tea [ 20 ]; resveratrol in grapes and wine [ 21 ]; capsaicin in pepper; and several flavonoids [ 22 ] in cabbage [ 23 ], cocoa [ 24 ], apple, and citrus fruits [ 25 ]. Furthermore, other studies have shown an association between the progression of osteoarthritis and vitamin D [ 26 , 27 , 28 ] and vitamin K [ 29 ] deficiencies and on the use of omega-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet, positively affecting the biochemical composition of the cartilage of individuals with osteoarthritis [ 30 ].…”