Effects of Nigella Sativa Oil on Pain Intensity and Physical Functions in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA); It is a chronic degenerative joint disease that is frequently seen in all societies due to many factors such as age, gender, genetics, osteoporosis, high activity level, diet, obesity and occupation, negatively affecting the quality of life and causing problems such as joint pain and limitation of movement in the affected joint. Articular cartilage, subchondral bone, synovial membrane and periarticular muscles as well as all joint structures are affected by this disease. According to the Health Research data conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute in 2019, it was determined that 14.6% of women over the age of 15, 7.6% of men and 11.2% of the general total had arthritis problems in Turkey. The World Health Organization estimates that 18% of women over the age of 60 and 9.6% of men worldwide experience OA symptoms, 80% of them develop limitation of movement due to pain and loss of function, and 25% are unable to perform activities of daily living. OA, whose incidence and prevalence increases with aging in particular, affects the knee, waist, neck, hip and hand at a high rate, while it affects the shoulder and ankle at a low rate. Common complaints; joint pain, stiffness, edema on the joint, a feeling of being stuck with the movement of the joint, and decreased range of motion. It is stated that the condition that most affects the patient is pain and psychological changes related to the disease.

Since current medical treatment approaches cannot prevent tissue degeneration in OA, relief of pain and improvement of joint functions are at the forefront of treatment. In this respect, integrative approaches consisting of pharmacological, non-pharmacological and surgical or a combination of these are used in the treatment.

In pharmacological treatment, starting with paracetamol according to the severity of the pain and increasing the severity of pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), COX-2 inhibitors, and topical drugs are switched. In addition, in some selected cases, intra-articular steroid and hyaluronic acid injections and centrally acting analgesic drugs are also preferred. However, it is stated that these drugs should be used with caution in terms of their efficacy and side effects, and gastrointestinal and renal side effects are more common in long-term use of NSAIDs, especially in elderly individuals.

Rest, regular aerobics, muscle strengthening and range of motion exercises, aquatic exercise, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, crutches, walker, cane, corset, elastic bandage, insoles and appropriate shoes use, weight loss as well as joint protection of the patient and coping with the disease. Education about methods constitutes non-pharmacological treatment. In surgical treatment, osteotomy, arthroscopy and, as a last resort, arthroplasty are performed in patients with persistent pain whose activities of daily living are severely restricted. In the Consensus Report of the Turkish Rheumatism Research and Combat Association (2012), evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of knee OA; It is stated that integrative treatments can be used in addition to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, provided that they are monitored in terms of their effects and side effects. In the literature, it has been observed that integrative treatments such as massage therapy, herbal treatments, balneotherapy, acupuncture, and Tai chi are effective for OA.

It is stated that among the integrated treatments, especially herbal medicines have been used in articular diseases for 2000 years and they do not have any side effects, and in recent years, medicinal plants have become a new source of medicine due to many side effects of synthetic drugs. One of these medicinal herbal remedies is nigella sativa oil, which belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, commonly known as black cumin in traditional medicine. The active nutraceutical ingredient of the oil is thymoquinone. Nigella sativa oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid and can relieve pain by inhibiting the activity of the cyclooxygenase enzyme, as well as showing anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anticonvulsant, anticancer, anti-aging, immunomodulator, antimicrobial, spasmolytic, bronchodilator, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, gastroprotective and antioxidant effects. is also indicated.

A limited number of studies have been found in the literature indicating that nigella sativa oil reduces pain and improves physical function in patients with OA. Therefore, in this study, it was aimed to examine the effect of 1 ml of nigella sativa oil applied with massage for 2 minutes three times a day for 21 days on pain severity and physical functions in patients with knee OA and to contribute to the literature.