Although a lot of attention has been paid to the safety risks and potential for addiction from prescription painkillers, there are plenty of extremely risky over the- counter medicines hidden in plain sight. Acetaminophen (one brand name is Tylenol) is just one of them.

It’s perfectly understandable that when people are in pain, they want relief quickly. But finding an option that is both fast-acting and safe has been nearly impossible—until now. This clinical study on a unique combination of curcumin, boswellia, and black sesame seed oil shows that it reduces pain as quickly and effectively as acetaminophen, but without the risks and dangerous side effects.

Efficacy of high-dissolution turmeric-sesame formulation for pain relief in adult subjects with acute musculoskeletal pain compared to acetaminophen: A randomized controlled study.

RUDRAPPA GH, CHAKRAVARTHI PT, BENNY IR. MEDICINE (BALTIMORE). 2020;99(28):E20373.

BACKGROUND: Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter drug for pain relief. Management of acute pain with plant-based nutrients has remained suboptimal due to an absence of data supporting acute relief of pain. In the present study, it was hypothesized that high-dissolution liquid treatment of black sesame extract oil, Curcuma longa and Boswellia serrata may provide pain relief in people with acute musculoskeletal pain as quickly as acetaminophen.

METHODS: In this randomized, active controlled open label study, 88 healthy subjects with acute musculoskeletal pain were randomized to receive treatment capsule (Rhuleave-K; 1,000 mg/d) or 1,000 mg/d acetaminophen for 7 days. Change in pain intensity and pain relief at first 6 hours, 3 days, and 7 days were measured. The onset of analgesia was measured by perceptible pain relief and meaningful pain relief. Other measures were McGill Pain Questionnaire and Patient Global Impression Change.

RESULTS: The treatment formulation resulted in an average magnitude of pain relief comparable to the acetaminophen. 66% of subjects in the treatment group reported a positive response in pain relief (≥50% max TOTPAR; total pain relief) after 6 hours, compared to 73% of control. 73% of subjects on treatment were considered positive responders, compared to 80% in the control group. The average time of onset of analgesia was 1 hour for the treatment group, versus 0.83 hours for the control. At the end of day 3 and 7, there was significant improvement (P<.001 for day 3 and day 7) in the pain condition of the treatment group and was comparable to control (P=.436 for
day 3 and P=.529 for day 7). The total McGill Pain score showed a significant reduction in pain with the treatment irrespective of the pain intensity statistically equal (P=.468) to control. Both the groups were equal in providing sensory pain relief (P=.942), but the treatment was 8.57 times significantly better (P=.027) than acetaminophen in reducing the unpleasantness and emotional aspects (affective domain) involved with acute pain.

CONCLUSION: The results showed that the treatment used in the study may act as a natural, fast-acting, and safe alternative for acute pain relief comparable to acetaminophen.

72% PAIN REDUCTION WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR PATIENTS:

• Average of 72% reduction in pain: equal to acetaminophen, but without harmful side effects
• Perceptible pain relief in the first hour of use
• Works safely and effectively through multiple pain pathways, including COX-2 and 5-LOX
• Can be taken frequently and daily, when needed
• 8.5 times better at reducing emotional distress associated with pain such as feeling tired and fearful
• Safe and effective pain relief without the risk of stroke, heart attack, intestinal bleeding, or damage to liver or stomach 

Equally as Fast and Effective as Acetaminophen

This clinical study focused on healthy individuals who suffered from acute pain, much the way anyone does when they have pulled muscles, strained ligaments, or sore joints due to physically demanding jobs, intensive workouts, or some other injury.

The researchers wanted to compare a blend of botanical ingredients including curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa), boswellia (Boswellia serrata), and black sesame seed oil to acetaminophen to see how quickly, effectively, and safely the herbal combination could match the frequently used over-the-counter drug.

Curcumin and boswellia have already gained a well-deserved reputation worldwide as extremely effective pain-relievers, fighting COX-2 and 5-LOX inflammation more effectively—and much more safely—than conventional drugs could ever hope to.

The third ingredient in this combination to fight acute pain is black sesame seed oil. It might not seem as familiar in North America, but traditional use and modern research around the world have found black sesame seed oil to be an incredibly valuable nutrient. It provides strong anti-inflammatory power on its own, and like curcumin and boswellia, has a long history of use in Ayurvedic practice.

Most importantly, emulsifying curcumin and boswellia in black sesame seed oil helps these fat-soluble herbs absorb in the intestines and from there, disperse into the bloodstream for optimal pain-fighting ability. This formula creates a powerful concentration of anti-inflammatory ingredients.

On the very first day of the study, the botanical combination virtually matched the perceived pain relief of acetaminophen, with noticeable relief in just one hour. By day seven of the study, it was clear that curcumin, boswellia, and black sesame seed oil were equal to the task of relieving acute pain, reducing it by an average of 72 percent. And the botanical combination was 8.5 times better than acetaminophen at reducing the emotional distress and unpleasantness associated with pain, something that the over-the-counter drug is notoriously unable to do.

There truly is a solution to pain that is safe and effective. This study shows that a combination of curcumin, boswellia, and black sesame seed oil delivers the same relief without the risks of acetaminophen, making it a smart choice for stopping acute pain.

SKIP THE ACETAMINOPHEN:

• According to drugwatch.com, acetaminophen is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the U.S., and accounts for more than 100,000 calls to poison centers.
• Additionally, the use of this readily available over-the-counter drug is responsible for about 60,000 emergency room visits and hundreds of deaths every year in America.

As a healthcare practitioner you are able to offer further guidance on the use of dietary supplements with disease.