The addition of Curcuma Xanthorriza to Vitamin D3 supplementation did not affect fatigue and cytokines in lupus patients with hypovitaminosis D

Abstract

Background: Seventy percent of Lupus patients in Indonesia have hypovitaminosis D. Curcumin is a novel VDR ligand and has synergic effects with vitamin D.
 Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of Curcuma xanthorriza addition to vitamin D3 supplementation on fatigue, serum IL-6, TGF- ?1, and to study the correlation between fatigue, serum IL-6 and TGF-?1 in lupus patients with hypovitaminosis D.
 Methods: This was a double blind randomized controlled trial involving 40 SLE patients with hypovitaminosis D (vitamin D<30 ng/ml). The first group consisted of 20 patients who received Cholecalciferol 1200 IU/day and placebo, and the other group received Cholecalciferol 1200 IU/day and Curcuma xanthorriza 60 mg/day. The subjects were followed up at the end of 3 months. Fatigue were measured by Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Visual Analogue Scale-Fatigue (VAS-F). Vitamin D, serum IL-6 and TGF-?1 were measured by ELISA.
 Result: There was no significant difference between the decrease of FSS (p = 0.300) and VAS-F score (p = 0.085) in curcuma Vs placebo groups, respectively. The decrease of IL-6 (p = 0.061) and increase of TGF-?1 (p = 0.261) in curcuma Vs placebo group also did not differ significantly. There was no correlation between fatigue and IL-6 [FSS, r=0.255, p=0.117], [VAS, r=0.086, p=0.625], also between fatigue and TGF-?1 [FSS, r=0.127, p=0.441], [VAS-F, r=0.510, p=0.109].
 Conclusion: The addition of Curcuma xanthorriza had no significant effect on fatigue and alteration of IL-6, as well as TGF-?1 serum. There were no correlations between fatigue, IL-6 and TGF-?1 serum.