Short-term effects of oral curcumin as adjunct to intravitreal bevacizumab in diabetic macular edema: a randomized clinical trial.
4 affiliations
- 1Isfahan Eye Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
- 2Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
- 3Isfahan Clinical Toxicology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
- 4Isfahan Eye Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. [email protected].
Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the efficacy of combined oral curcumin and intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) in diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods
This clinical trial was conducted using a parallel-group, randomized, placebo-controlled design in patients with DME. All participants received IVB at the standard dose at monthly intervals for a total of three doses. Additionally, they were assigned to receive either oral curcumin capsules (40 mg) or a matched placebo every 12 h for three months, starting at the time of the first IVB injection. Treatment efficacy was assessed by comparing changes in foveal, perifoveal, and parafoveal retinal thickness, central macular volume (CMV), and LogMAR-corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA). Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) tests were performed for all patients at baseline and at three months.Results
Fifty-two eyes of 52 patients (26 eyes per group) completed the study. The patients' baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. Macular thickness and CMV decreased significantly from baseline in both groups, with no statistically significant difference observed between the groups. Similarly, changes in LogMAR CDVA did not differ significantly between the intervention and control groups (MD: 0.08, [95% CI: -0.04 to 0.20]; P = 0.12). Both groups demonstrated a significant reduction in HbA1c levels at three months compared to baseline; however, the difference in HbA1c changes between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001), favoring the curcumin group (MD: 0.63%, 95% CI: [0.3-1.0]). No specific systemic or ocular adverse effects were observed in either group during the study.Conclusion
Adjunctive treatment with oral curcumin in patients receiving IVB for DME was associated with a significantly greater reduction in HbA1c levels. Despite this metabolic outcome, oral curcumin did not provide additional detectable anatomical or functional benefit over intravitreal bevacizumab alone during the three-month follow-up.
Related
- Palladium-103 brachytherapy with continuous periodic intravitreal Anti-VEGF bevacizumab for ciliary body medulloepithelioma
- Successful management of high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy with intravitreal faricimab
- The Effect of Resveratrol, Quercetin, and Curcumin on Drusen Volume in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- Comparison of Intravitreal Antivascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy in Treatment-Naïve vs Panretinal Photocoagulation–Treated Eyes With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
- DUBHE-H-308 study protocol: rationale and adaptive design of a randomized, open-label, seamless phaseII/III trial of iparomlimab and tuvonralimab (QL1706)-based regimens versus sintilimab plus bevacizumab as first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
BibTeX
@article{dehghani2026shortterm,
title = {{Short-term effects of oral curcumin as adjunct to intravitreal bevacizumab in diabetic macular edema: a randomized clinical trial.}},
author = {Alireza Dehghani and Abbas Abdali and Mohammad Malekahmadi and Elaheh Foroughi and Mahsa Rafiee Alhossaini and Ali Mohammad Sabzghabaee and Mohsen Pourazizi},
journal = {International journal of retina and vitreous},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s40942-026-00911-5},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968188},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Short-term effects of oral curcumin as adjunct to intravitreal bevacizumab in diabetic macular edema: a randomized clinical trial.
AU - Alireza Dehghani
AU - Abbas Abdali
AU - Mohammad Malekahmadi
AU - Elaheh Foroughi
AU - Mahsa Rafiee Alhossaini
AU - Ali Mohammad Sabzghabaee
AU - Mohsen Pourazizi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/03
JO - International journal of retina and vitreous
DO - 10.1186/s40942-026-00911-5
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968188
AB - Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of combined oral curcumin and intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) in diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods This clinical trial was conducted using a parallel-group, randomized, placebo-controlled design in patients with DME. All participants received IVB at the standard dose at monthly intervals for a total of three doses. Additionally, they were assigned to receive either oral curcumin capsules (40 mg) or a matched placebo every 12 h for three months, starting at the time of the first IVB injection. Treatment efficacy was assessed by comparing changes in foveal, perifoveal, and parafoveal retinal thickness, central macular volume (CMV), and LogMAR-corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA). Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) tests were performed for all patients at baseline and at three months.Results Fifty-two eyes of 52 patients (26 eyes per group) completed the study. The patients' baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. Macular thickness and CMV decreased significantly from baseline in both groups, with no statistically significant difference observed between the groups. Similarly, changes in LogMAR CDVA did not differ significantly between the intervention and control groups (MD: 0.08, [95% CI: -0.04 to 0.20]; P = 0.12). Both groups demonstrated a significant reduction in HbA1c levels at three months compared to baseline; however, the difference in HbA1c changes between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001), favoring the curcumin group (MD: 0.63%, 95% CI: [0.3-1.0]). No specific systemic or ocular adverse effects were observed in either group during the study.Conclusion Adjunctive treatment with oral curcumin in patients receiving IVB for DME was associated with a significantly greater reduction in HbA1c levels. Despite this metabolic outcome, oral curcumin did not provide additional detectable anatomical or functional benefit over intravitreal bevacizumab alone during the three-month follow-up.
SN - 2056-9920
ER -