AIM To evaluate the role of oral curcumin in inducing clinical remission in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis(UC).METHODS A prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial comparing the remission inducing effect of oral curcumin and mesalamine 2.4 g with placebo and mesalamine 2.4 g in patients of ulcerative colitis with mild to moderate severity was conducted from January 2003 to March 2005. The included patients received 1 capsule thrice a day of placebo or curcumin(150 mg) for 8 wk. Patients were evaluated clinically and endoscopically at 0,4 and 8 wk. The primary outcome was clinical remission at 8 wk and secondary outcomes were clinical response, mucosal healing and treatment failure at 8 wk. The primary analysis was intention to treat worst case scenario(ITT-WCS).RESULTS Of 300 patients with UC, 62 patients(curcumin: 29, placebo: 33) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were randomized at baseline. Of these, 21 patients did not complete the trial, 41 patients(curcumin: 16, placebo: 25) finally completed 8 wk. There was no significant difference in rates of clinical remission(31.3% vs 27.3%, P = 0.75), clinical response(20.7% vs 36.4%, P = 0.18), mucosal healing(34.5% vs 30.3%, P = 0.72), and treatment failure(25% vs 18.5%, P = 0.59) between curcumin and placebo at 8 wk.CONCLUSION Low dose oral curcumin at a dose of 450 mg/d was ineffective in inducing remission in mild to moderate cases of UC. AIM To evaluate the role of oral curcumin in inducing clinical remission in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS A prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial comparing the remission inducing effect of oral curcumin and mesalamine 2.4 g with placebo and mesalamine 2.4 g in patients of ulcerative colitis with mild to moderate severity been conducted from January 2003 to March 2005. The included patients received 1 capsule thrice a day of placebo or curcumin (150 mg) for 8 weeks. Patients were evaluated clinically and endoscopically at 0 4 and 8 wk. The primary outcome was clinical remission at 8 wk and secondary outcomes were clinical response, mucosal healing and treatment failure at 8 wk. The primary analysis was intention to treat worst case scenario (ITT-WCS) .RESULTS Of 300 patients with UC, 62 patients (curcumin: 29, placebo: 33) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were randomized at baseline. Of these, 21 patients did not complete the trial, 41 There was no significant difference in rates of clinical remission (31.3% vs 27.3%, P = 0.75), clinical response (20.7% vs 36.4%, P = 0.18) (34.5% vs 30.3%, P = 0.72), and treatment failure (25% vs 18.5%, P = 0.59) between curcumin and placebo at 8 weeks. CONCLUSION Low dose oral curcumin at a dose of 450 mg / d was ineffective in inducing remission in mild to moderate cases of UC.