The following is a summary of the authors’ conclusions based on available study data:
Harpagophytum procumbens (devil’s claw)
- Harpagoside 50mg or 100mg per day, from an aqueous extract of H. procumbens, may be better than placebo for short-term improvements in pain and may reduce rescue medication use (ie, tramadol) in chronic LBP (low quality evidence)
- Harpagoside 60mg/day, from an aqueous extract of H. procumbens, showed relative equivalence to rofecoxib 12.5mg/day in chronic LBP (very low quality evidence)
Salix alba (white willow bark)
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- Salicin 120mg or 240mg per day, from an extract of S. alba, is probably better than placebo for short-term improvements in pain and rescue medication use (ie, tramadol) in chronic LBP (moderate quality evidence)
- Salicin 240mg/day, from an extract of S. alba, showed relative equivalence to rofecoxib 12.5mg/day in chronic LBP (very low quality evidence)
- S. alba, a platelet inhibitor, minimally affected platelet thrombosis vs. a cardioprotective dose of acetylsalicylate
Capsicum frutescens (cayenne)
- Capsicum cream reduces pain and improves function compared to placebo in chonic LBP (moderate quality evidence)
- Capsicum cream may possibly reduce pain more than placebo in acute LBP (very low quality evidence)
- Capsicum plaster reduces pain and improves function compared to placebo in chronic LBP (moderate quality evidence)
- Capsici Oleoresin gel showed relative equivalence to Spiroflor SLR homeopathic gel in acute and chronic LBP (very low quality evidence)
