A new study on an herbal combination used in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve knee pain finds it works no better than a placebo.

Osteoarthritis patients commonly use over-the-counter drugs like analgesics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like, aspirin, Tylenol, Motrin and Advil to relieve knee pain, but their long-term use is associated with potentially dangerous side effects.

It’s estimated that about one-third of older people with osteoarthritis of the knee also turn to alternative or complimentary methods.

Researchers from the University of Baltimore and Hong Kong University undertook a trial to find out if Huo-Luo-Xiao-Ling-Dan (HLXL), a popular Chinese herbal medicine used for  knee pain is effective.

They conducted a two-phase trial. In the first stage, 28 participants took either low-dose HLXL or a placebo for six weeks. Researchers found no significance difference between the two groups.

The study was then redesigned and 92 patients were given either high-dose HLXL or a placebo for eight weeks.

Although patients in the two groups did report improvement, the study found that there was no difference between those who took HLXL and the patients who took the placebo.

The study is published in the current issue of the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.