From the treatment of digestive issues to reducing pain and inflammation in rheumatologic conditions, the root of the flowering plant turmeric (Curcuma longa extract) has long been a staple of traditional medicine. Now, a well-designed trial has shown that turmeric—best known in the United States as a ginger-like cooking spice—could potentially serve as a clinical alternative to existing pain treatments in conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA).