A Placebo-Controlled, Pseudo-Randomized, Crossover Trial of Botanical Agents for Gulf War Illness: Curcumin ( Boswellia (), and French Maritime Pine Bark ().

This report is part of a larger study designed to rapidly and efficiently screen potential treatments for Gulf War Illness (GWI) by testing nine different botanicals. In this placebo-controlled, pseudo-randomized, crossover clinical trial of 20 men with GWI, we tested three botanical agents with putative peripheral and central anti-inflammatory actions: curcumin (), boswellia (), and French maritime pine bark extract (). Participants completed 30 +/- 3 days of baseline symptom reports, followed by 30 +/- 3 days of placebo, 30 +/- 3 days of lower-dose botanical, and 30 +/- 3 days of higher-dose botanical.