Tolerability of Curcumin in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Forced-Dose Titration Study

BACKGROUND:Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation in the absence of a recognized etiology. The primary therapies are medications that possess anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive effects. Given the high use of complementary alternative medicines in pediatric IBD, a prospective tolerability study of curcumin, an herbal therapy with known anti-inflammatory effects, was conducted to assess possible dosage in children with IBD. METHODS:Prospectively, patients with Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis in remission or with mild disease (Pediatric Crohnʼs Disease Activity Index [PCDAI]