The Use of Resveratrol as an Adjuvant Treatment of Pain in Endometriosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

CONTEXT: Resveratrol has been used for the treatment of endometriosis. OBJECTIVE: To compare resveratrol (40 mg/d) with monophasic contraceptive pill (COC) to COC with placebo for the reduction of pain scores. DESIGN: A randomized clinical trial. SETTING: University Hospital. PATIENTS: Women (ages 20 to 50) with laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis were eligible for the study. Exclusion criteria: pregnancy, allergy to resveratrol, or contraindications to COC, use of agonists of gonadotropin release hormone or danazol in the last month, or had used depot medroxyprogesterone acetate or Mirena®. INTERVENTION: Subjects were randomized using a computer-generated randomization list to receive COC for 42 days to be taken with identical capsules containing 40 mg of resveratrol or placebo in coded bottles (1:1 ratio). Allocation was concealed in coded, sequenced, opaque-sealed envelopes. MAIN OUTCOME: Median pain scores measured with a visual analog scale on day 42. RESULTS: Between 18 June and 6 November 2015, 44 subjects were enrolled. Mean [95% confidence interval (CI)] pain scores on day 0 were 5.4 (4.2 to 6.6) in the placebo group and 5.7 (4.8 to 6.6) in resveratrol groups. After treatment, pain values were [3.9 (2.2 to 5); n = 22] and [3.2 (2.1 to 4.3); n = 22] in the placebo and resveratrol groups, respectively (P = 0.7; Mann-Whitney U test). Median (95% CI) difference between groups was 0.75 (–1.6 to 2.3). CONCLUSION: Resveratrol is not superior to placebo for treatment of pain in endometriosis.