Effect of Turmeric Extract With Black Pepper on Tooth Pain After Root Canal Treatment
EFFECT OF PREOPERATIVE ORAL CURCUMIN WITH PIPERINE ON POSTOPERATIVE PAIN FOLLOWING SINGLE-VISIT PRIMARY ROOT CANAL TREATMENT IN MANDIBULAR MOLARS WITH SYMPTOMATIC IRREVERSIBLE PULPITIS
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of taking a turmeric extract supplement before a root canal to help reduce tooth pain after the procedure.
Patients diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (severe, irreversible tooth nerve inflammation causing significant pain) in their lower back teeth (mandibular molars) will participate in the study. All participants will receive a standard, single visit root canal treatment. Before the procedure begins, one group of patients will receive an oral supplement containing curcumin (the active compound in turmeric) combined with piperine (black pepper extract, which helps the body absorb curcumin). Another group will receive a placebo (an inactive substance).
The investigators will compare the levels of postoperative pain between the two groups in the days following the root canal treatment to see if the turmeric extract supplement successfully provides better pain relief.
Study Overview
Status
Status
Conditions
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Intervention / Treatment
Study Type
Study Type
Enrollment (Estimated)
Enrollment
Phase
Phase
- Not Applicable
Contacts and Locations
Study Contact
Study Contact
- Name: Zonash Rashid, BDS
- Phone Number: 00923208899790
- Email: zonashrashid005@gmail.com
Study Locations
-
-
Punjab Province
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Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, Pakistan
- Watim Medical & Dental College
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Contact:
- Zonash Rashid, BDS
- Phone Number: 00923208899790
- Email: zonashrashid005@gmail.com
-
Contact:
- Email: zonashrashid005@gmail.com
-
Principal Investigator:
- Zonash Rashid, BDS
-
-
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Genders Eligible for Study
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients aged 18 to 60 years.
- Mature permanent mandibular first or second molar with clinical diagnosis of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.
- Moderate to severe preoperative pain on the VAS.
- Willingness to provide written informed consent and complete the 48-hour pain record.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Pregnancy or lactation.
- Known hypersensitivity to curcumin, turmeric or capsule components.
- Analgesic or anti-inflammatory medication within 12 hours before treatment.
- Anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy, clinically relevant bleeding disorder, or significant hepatic, renal or gastrointestinal disease.
- Acute apical abscess, swelling, sinus tract or radiographic apical periodontitis.
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Treatment
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
- Masking: Double
Number of Arms
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / ArmParticipant Group / Arm |
Intervention / TreatmentIntervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
|
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Arm
|
An inactive capsule manufactured to be completely identical in appearance, color, size, and weight to the active curcumin capsule, administered preoperatively. |
|
Experimental: Curcumin Arm
|
An oral administration consisting of curcumin paired with piperine, administered preoperatively to enhance bioavailability prior to the root canal treatment. |
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Postoperative Pain Score
Time Frame: 24 Hours
|
Postoperative pain will be assessed using a 0-100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where a score of 0 mm represents "no pain" and a score of 100 mm represents "the worst possible pain." Patients will mark their pain level on a 100 mm line, and higher scores indicate a greater intensity of postoperative pain. |
24 Hours
|
Secondary Outcome Measures
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Rescue Analgesic Consumption
Time Frame: Up to 48 hours post-treatment
|
The total amount of rescue medication taken by the participants will be recorded. Patients will be instructed to take Ibuprofen as needed for severe postoperative pain. The outcome will be measured as the average number of Ibuprofen tablets consumed per participant during the follow up period. A lower tablet count indicates better pain management by the preoperative intervention. |
Up to 48 hours post-treatment
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Sponsor
Publications and helpful links
General Publications
- Pak JG, White SN. Pain prevalence and severity before, during, and after root canal treatment: a systematic review. J Endod. 2011 Apr;37(4):429-38. doi: 10.1016/j.joen.2010.12.016.
- Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, Majeed M, Rajendran R, Srinivas PS. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Med. 1998 May;64(4):353-6. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-957450.
- Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Hood SD, et al. Efficacy of curcumin plus piperine co-supplementation in pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2024;11:1348329.
- Singhal R, Agarwal A, Rastogi P, et al. Current applications of Curcuma longa in dentistry: a scoping review of literature published after 2019. BMC Oral Health. 2026;26(1):45-58.
- Reddy MS, Ramachandra SS, Shetty SR, Khazi SS, Ur Rahman Tippu MS, Narayanan LA, Shetty RM, Azim SA, Ramana VV, Al-Bayati SAAF, Razooki A, Fouad NN. Analgesic Efficacy of Phytotherapeutic Agents in Dental Pain Management: A Systematic Review. Int J Dent. 2025 Nov 20;2025:5614623. doi: 10.1155/ijod/5614623. eCollection 2025.
- Bucevic Popovic V, Karahmet Farhat E, Banjari I, Jelicic Kadic A, Puljak L. Bioavailability of Oral Curcumin in Systematic Reviews: A Methodological Study. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024 Jan 28;17(2):164. doi: 10.3390/ph17020164.
- Di Cosola M, Cazzolla AP, Charitos IA, et al. The role of curcumin in oral health and diseases: a systematic review. Dent J (Basel). 2024;12(5):132.
- Hashemi N, Shahsavari F, Mokhtari H, et al. Analgesic effect of a kind of herbal medicine, compared to ibuprofen on post-endodontic pain: a randomized clinical trial study. J Mashhad Dent Sch. 2023;47(3):337-345.
- Abdelnaby MS, Eid GEM, El Nabarawi MA. The effect of premedication with curcumin on post-operative pain in single visit endodontic treatment of acute pulpitis in mandibular molars: a randomized controlled trial. J Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2021;1(3):1-11.
- Khan MK, Khan IA, Liaquat A. Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin with and without Strengthening Exercises in Improving Rheumatoid Arthritis. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2022 Dec;32(12):1640-1643. doi: 10.29271/jcpsp.2022.12.1640.
- Singla R, Gupta C, Gill GS, Jain N, Arora S, Algarni YA, Kader MA, Cicciu M, Minervini G. Effect of Curcuma longa (Turmeric), as an intra-canal medicament, on inter-appointment endodontic pain in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Heliyon. 2024 Jun 28;10(14):e33797. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33797. eCollection 2024 Jul 30.
- Basu P, Maier C, Basu A. Effects of Curcumin and Its Different Formulations in Preclinical and Clinical Studies of Peripheral Neuropathic and Postoperative Pain: A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 28;22(9):4666. doi: 10.3390/ijms22094666.
- De Geus JL, Wambier LM, Boing TF, Loguercio AD, Reis A. Effects of Ibuprofen Compared to Other Premedication Drugs on the Risk and Intensity of Postendodontic Pain: A Systematic Review. Eur Endod J. 2018 Oct 9;3(3):123-133. doi: 10.14744/eej.2018.83803. eCollection 2018.
- Elkhadem A, Ezzat K, Ramadan M, AbdelGhaffar S, Khamis D, Hassan A, Abdel-Mawgoud A, Mamdouh A, AbouZeid M, Amin S. The effect of preoperative oral administration of prednisolone on postoperative pain in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a single-centre randomized controlled trial. Int Endod J. 2018 Apr;51 Suppl 3:e189-e196. doi: 10.1111/iej.12795. Epub 2017 Jul 4.
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start (Estimated)
Study Start
Primary Completion (Estimated)
Primary Completion
Study Completion (Estimated)
Study Completion
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Actual)
First Posted
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
Last Update Posted
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
- Pain
- Neurologic Manifestations
- Postoperative Complications
- Pathologic Processes
- Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms
- Signs and Symptoms
- Pain, Postoperative
- Organic Chemicals
- Hydrocarbons, Acyclic
- Hydrocarbons
- Hydrocarbons, Cyclic
- Hydrocarbons, Aromatic
- Diarylheptanoids
- Heptanes
- Alkanes
- Catechols
- Phenols
- Benzene Derivatives
- Curcumin
- piperine
Other Study ID Numbers
Other Study ID Numbers
- WM&DCR/R&D(IERB)/2026/273
Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)
Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?
IPD Plan Description
he individual participant data will not be shared outside the host institution to maintain patient confidentiality and comply with institutional privacy protocols.
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
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