Efficacy of curcumin in the management of oral submucous fibrosis: an umbrella review.

OBJECTIVE

This umbrella review was planned to synthesize pooled evidence on the efficacy of curcumin in alleviating clinical manifestations of OSMF.

METHODS

The protocol of this review was registered at the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines were extensively followed. Multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, were searched to retrieve relevant literature. Data was extracted using a systematically designed data extraction form. An overlap assessment was performed using the GROOVE Tool. A meta-analysis (using a random effects model) was performed to estimate the overall efficacy of curcumin in managing OSMF conditions. Quality assessment for included studies was also carried out using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews-2 (AMSTAR 2) tool.

RESULTS

A total of six SR (n = 1) and SRMAs (n = 5) were included in this review. Overlap assessment found a higher level of overlap (19.39%) of primary studies across included studies. Meta-analysis revealed statistically significant results in improving burning sensation within intervention group [standardized mean difference (SMD = -2.66 (95% CI: -3.56 to -1.77); Z-score = 5.83, p-value < 0.001]. However, for other clinical symptoms, results remained statistically non-significant with variable heterogeneity (0% to 95%). A critical appraisal of the included studies demonstrated a high to moderate level (66.66%) of confidence in the overall evidence presented by the included studies.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that curcumin offers limited benefits while managing OSMF conditions, especially in the early stages. Its optimal role may be as an adjunct in multimodal management strategies rather than a standalone therapy.