Paper Title
Effectiveness of a Comfrey Based, Trans dermal Ointment in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Abstract
Osteoarthritis is an incurable degenerative condition affecting over 30 million Americans. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of a two concentration (10% & 20%) of a comfrey-based topical ointment and placebo on arthritic knee pain. Female subjects (n=25) ranging in age from 52 to 82 yrs. diagnosed with primary osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions. The primary outcome measure was the pain subscale of the WOMAC osteoarthritis index. Participants used the topical ointment 3 times a day for 6 weeks and were evaluated every 2 weeks during the treatment period. Repeated ANOVA yielded significantly (p<0.01) less pain for both ointment concentrations compared to the placebo at week 2, 4 and 6. Using a topical ointment for the treatment of arthritis knee pain provides an alternative to the side-effects of oral drug use. Keywords - Osteoarthritis, Knee, Treatment, Ointment