The Effect of Curcumin on Reducing the Number of Seizures and Inflammatory Cytokines in Patients with Intractable Pediatric Epilepsy

Assessing the effect of curcumin on reducing the number of seizures and inflammatory cytokines in patients with intractable pediatric epilepsy

This study was a double-blinded, randomized, crossover clinical trial. Simple purposive sampling was used to select 22 patients with intractable epilepsy.

The patients were randomly assigned to two groups to receive placebo and curcumin in turn. Patients were given 4 mg/kg of curcumin solution (Sinacurcumin®, each drop contains 4 mg nanocurcumin) or placebo for four weeks. At the end of each course and a two week wash-out interval, the drug and placebo were replaced. the parents and the researcher were unaware of the contents of the drug containers. If the duration or number of attacks increased, the drug would be discontinued immediately.

Patients who were diagnosed with intractable epilepsy and aged from three months to 16 years were included in the study. Patients with a history of pseudoseizures, status epilepticus, and other dangerous diseases or those with epilepsy secondary to another progressive neurodegenerative disorder were not included in the study.

Patients received either a daily dose of 4 mg/kg curcumin or placebo as an add-on therapy for four weeks. After a two week washout period, the received treatment was replaced, and the new treatment was given for another four weeks.

the number of seizure attacks, inflammatory cytokine levels (IL1, IL2, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, MCP1, EGF, TNF, IFN gamma)

The patients were randomly allocated to two groups by simple randomization based on computer-generated random numbers. Sealed drug containers were used in order to conceal the treatments to the clinician and patients.

The clinician, parents, patients and the researchers were unaware of the contents of drug or placebo containers. Sealed drug containers were used in order to conceal the treatments to the clinician and patients.