Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a standard treatment option for muscle strain; however, side effects persist.
Objective: This clinical trial was designed to compare the efficacy of Plai cream compared to placebos in adult patients with muscle strain.
Material and Method: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 140 participants aged over 18 years with muscle strain were randomized to receive either Plai cream (n = 70 patients, treatment group) or placebos (n = 70 patients, control group). Outcome assessments included the visual analog scale (VAS), quality of life (QoL), the amount of remaining cream, and the number of acetaminophen tablets used.
Results: After 2 weeks, the mean pain scores following treatment with both Plai cream and placebos in patients with muscle strain decreased from baseline to the end of the study at week 2. However, no significant difference for VAS score was found. The QoL of the two groups showed improvements in QoL as witnessed by increased mean QoL scores from baseline to week 2; however, these differences were not statistically significant. In general, mean QoL scores above 50 indicate good quality of life. The amount of Plai cream used reduced from baseline to week 2, but no significant difference in the amount of cream remaining was found between the two groups at each visit. Similarly, the number of acetaminophen tablets used was not statistically different between the treatment and control groups.
Conclusion: There was no difference in pain reduction in the 2-week period between patients with muscle strain using Plai
cream and those given placebos, but Plai cream tended to reduce pain in the long term. No side effects were found from Plai cream, so this non-invasive treatment may be offered to patients.

Keywords: Zingiber cassumunar Roxb, Plai cream, Muscle strain