Cabbage Leaf Application in Knee Osteoarthritis

NCT07318116 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 1 other identifier: 20/05/2025-592777
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 90
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Among non-pharmacological treatment methods, herbal therapies are widely used, and cabbage leaves are recognized for their analgesic and anti-edematous effects. Previous studies indicate that patients often use cabbage leaves for breast engorgement and joint pain, and their strong antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties have been demonstrated. This study aims to examine the effects of cabbage leaf application on pain, physical function, and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This research is designed as an experimental, mixed-method, randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest structure. It will be conducted at the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic and inpatient units of Şırnak State Hospital between 01.08.2025 and 01.08.2026. A total of 90 patients will be included and randomly assigned to three groups of 30 participants: those receiving room-temperature cabbage leaf application (Experimental Group 1), those receiving traditionally prepared cabbage leaf application (Experimental Group 2), and those receiving no cabbage leaf application (Control Group). Data will be collected using the Patient Information Form, A-VAS, WOMAC, and the Mini-OAKHQoL-TR Scale. Experimental groups will receive a daily 2-hour cabbage leaf application for 4 weeks, while the control group will receive routine care only. Measurements will be conducted at weeks 1 and 4. Data will be analyzed using SPSS 22.0. Descriptive statistics will summarize the sample. Normality will be tested with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. For normally distributed data, independent t-test, paired t-test, ANOVA, and ANCOVA will be used; for non-normal data, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and Friedman tests will be applied. This study aims to contribute evidence supporting non-pharmacological interventions as alternative or complementary approaches in managing joint and knee pain. Such applications may help reduce healthcare costs, decrease hospitalization rates, improve accessibility, save time, and provide an economical therapeutic option within clinical practice.

Conditions

Knee Osteoarthritis; Pain

Keywords

Pain; Knee Osteoarthritis; Nursing; Cabbage leaf; Quality of life

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Knee Pain Severity

  Description: Knee pain severity will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale/VAS (0-10). Change in VAS pain score from baseline to Week 4 will be assessed. Unit of Measure: Points on a 0-10 scale

  1 month

• Change in Physical Function

  Description: Physical function will be assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) Physical Function Subscale. Change from baseline to Week 4 will be evaluated. Unit of Measure: Points on WOMAC scale (0-96)

  1 month

• Change in Quality of Life

  Description: Quality of Life in Lower Extremity Osteoarthritis (MiniOAKHQoL-TR) questionnaire will be used for measurement. Change from baseline to week 4 will be evaluated. Unit of Measure: Quality of Life in Lower Extremity Osteoarthritis (MiniOAKHQoL-TR) scores (0-200)

  1 month

Study Arms (1)

The effect of cabbage leaves on knee pain

EXPERIMENTAL

The sequence order was generated by computer (Research Randomizer software, version 1.0.0). Unstratified block randomization with varying block sizes will be used to assign patients to three groups. Subsequently, a non-participating staff member will be asked to draw one number from an envelope containing numbers 1 to 90, each representing a patient. The group assignment of the drawn number will determine the patient's group. Using this method, patients will be randomly assigned to the groups. Patients who apply cabbage leaves kept at room temperature, as determined by the literature, will form Experimental Group 1; those who apply traditionally prepared cabbage leaves will form Experimental Group 2; and those who do not receive any cabbage leaf application will form the Control Group.

Other: Cabbage leaf compress for knee pain

Interventions

Cabbage leaf compress for knee pain OTHER

The benefits provided by cabbage leaf compresses have significant potential to enhance individuals' quality of life, facilitate symptom management, and offer an accessible treatment option for a broader patient population. These findings not only support current therapeutic practices but also play a stimulating role in promoting scientific research aimed at developing alternative therapies and holistic health approaches.

Also known as: Experimental Group 1, Control Group, Experimental Group 2

The effect of cabbage leaves on knee pain

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Experiencing knee pain due to osteoarthritis for at least 6 months
• Diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis by a physician according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria
• Having a pain score of 4 or higher on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
• Aged 18 years or older
• No allergy to cabbage or other herbal products
• Able to speak Turkish and having no communication difficulties
• Volunteering to participate in the study

You may not qualify if:

• Those with poor mental status
• Those using pain-relieving medication during the cabbage leaf application period
• Those with a history of surgical operation on the application area (knee region) within the past year
• Those with infection, wounds, cellulitis, or skin disease in the application area
• Those with any peripheral vascular disease in the application area
• Those who have experienced significant knee trauma within the past six months
• Those who have received intra-articular steroid injections within the past six months
• Those with inflammatory joint disease
• Those who developed knee osteoarthritis due to injury or infection
• Those with pain related to secondary arthritis (e.g., post-traumatic or inflammatory arthritis)
• Those with asthma, liver, or kidney disease
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Those with psychological or physical disorders
• Those with physical disabilities in the lower extremities
• Patients who do not agree to participate in the study will not be included in the sample.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Inonu University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Şirnak State Hospital

Şirnak, Merkez, 73000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Chobpenthai T, Arunwatthanangkul P, Mahikul W. Efficacy of Cabbage Leaf versus Cooling Gel Pad or Diclofenac Gel for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Open-Labeled Controlled Clinical Trial. Pain Res Manag. 2022 Jun 8;2022:3122153. doi: 10.1155/2022/3122153. eCollection 2022.

  PMID: 35719197 RESULT

• Ozkaya M, Korukcu O. Effect of cold cabbage leaf application on breast engorgement and pain in the postpartum period: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Care Women Int. 2023 Mar;44(3):328-344. doi: 10.1080/07399332.2022.2090567. Epub 2022 Jun 29.

  PMID: 35766462 RESULT

• Lauche R, Graf N, Cramer H, Al-Abtah J, Dobos G, Saha FJ. Efficacy of Cabbage Leaf Wraps in the Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin J Pain. 2016 Nov;32(11):961-971. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0000000000000352.

  PMID: 26889617 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Osteoarthritis, Knee; Pain

Interventions

Control Groups

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Osteoarthritis; Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Epidemiologic Research Design; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Research Design; Methods

Study Officials

• Feyzi DOĞRU, Ass. Prof

  Malatya Turgut Özal University / Faculty of Medicine / Department of Basic Medical Sciences / Division of Physiology

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Serap PARLAR KILIÇ, Prof. Dr.

  Inonu Unıversty

  STUDY DIRECTOR

• Mehmet Hayrullah ÖZTÜRK, Phd Student

  Sırnak Unıversty

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Prof.Dr

Model Details: The sequence order was generated by computer (Research Randomizer software, version 1.0.0). Unstratified block randomization with varying block sizes will be used to assign patients to three groups. Subsequently, a non-participating staff member will be asked to draw one number from an envelope containing numbers 1 to 90, each representing a patient. The group assignment of the drawn number will determine the patient's group. Using this method, patients will be randomly assigned to the groups. Patients who apply cabbage leaves kept at room temperature, as determined by the literature, will form Experimental Group 1; those who apply traditionally prepared cabbage leaves will form Experimental Group 2; and those who do not receive any cabbage leaf application will form the Control Group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 29, 2025
• First Posted: January 5, 2026
• Study Start: November 10, 2025
• Primary Completion: January 10, 2026
• Study Completion: February 25, 2026
• Last Updated: February 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)