Curcumin, Resveratrol, and Stinging Nettle as Treatments for GWI

This project's objective is to identify effective treatments for Gulf War Illness (GWI). The project tests three potential treatments: curcumin, stinging nettle, and resveratrol. The project uses a decentralized clinical trial (DCT) design in which individuals can participate from anywhere in the United States. Recruitment efforts will be designed to obtain a geographically and demographically diverse study sample.

In accordance with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2014 guidance, participants must meet both the Kansas and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Case Definitions of GWI. Participants must have been deployed to the Persian Gulf Region during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, meet symptom domain criteria, and not have exclusionary medical conditions. The case definitions will be used for inclusionary screening purposes. Inclusion Criteria: * Meets Kansas GWI Case Definition * Meets CDC GWI Case Definition * Able to commit to a 10-month study Exclusion Criteria: * Currently involved in an experimental treatment study * Abnormal liver function values * Abnormal kidney function values * Currently pregnant * Blood clotting disorder (contraindicated with all three botanicals) * Reported diagnosis of diabetes with an A1C greater than 9 * The use of contraindicated medications (see below): * Anticoagulant medications (such as warfarin, heparin, etc.) * Lithium * Tacrolimus (Prograf) * Cancer medications (Alkylating agents, antitumor antibiotics, Topoisomerase I inhibitors, Tamoxifen)