Proprietary blend of frankincense and turmeric help relieve pain post-exercise, according to recent study

A recent study¹ published in IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences found that supplementation with a blend of Boswellia serrata and Curcuma longa called Rhuleave-K, from Arjuna Natural Pvt Ltd., helped relieve acute musculoskeletal pain from exercise. In the prospective, randomized, double-blind study, 40 healthy male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and 65 with acute musculoskeletal pain following exercise from the previous 24 hours, with a resting Numerical rating scale (NRS) of 5 or above on a 0-10 scale, were given either a single 500 mg dose of Rhuleave-K or placebo.

The primary outcome was the pain intensity difference at 6 hours based on the NRS and total pain relief based on the categorical pain relief scale (PRS) every 30 minutes up to 6 hours. Secondary outcomes were perceptible and meaningful pain relief as well as sensory and affective pain using McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form (MPQ-SF). Results showed that in a cumulative responder analysis, subjects taking the herbal blend saw a 62% improvement, compared to placebo. Subjects taking Rhuleave-K also saw significant improvements in total pain relief, perceived pain relief, quality of pain relief in sensory and affective domains, as well as MPQ-SF scores.

This present study saw significant effects at half the dose of prior trials on the blend which gave subjects 1000 mg doses. “There was a distinct gap in the herbal space for fast relief of acute pain,” said Benny Antony, PhD, joint managing director for Arjuna, in a press release. “Rhuleave-K is composed of all-natural botanicals, well-known in traditional Indian medicine and has seen growing support from the scientific community for their strong anti-inflammatory capacity. But more than anti-inflammatory, it’s the analgesic—or nociceptive—action which makes Rhuleave K stand out. And being able to halve the dose makes it extremely affordable, opening more options for creating new formulations using Rhuleave-K.”

The blend also includes black-sesame seed oil as an effective carrier agent for the Boswellia serrata and Curcuma longa extracts, as well as also contributing anti-inflammatory benefits. “These ingredients were not as successful individually for fast relief of pain,” explained Antony. “To our knowledge, Rhuleave-K —crafted through Arjuna’s proprietary Speedtech process—is the first such blend of botanicals clinically documented to offer fast pain relief in acute musculoskeletal pain and pain following exercise.”

Reference

1. Kizhakkekara J et al. “A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Double-Blinded Study to Assess the Efficacy of Turmeric-Boswellia formulation PFK300 (Rhuleave-K) in Adult Subjects with Acute Musculoskeletal Pain.” IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences, vol. 21, no. 6 (2022)