Willow bark and low back pain
What 2 graded rows on willow bark agree on for low back pain, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Willow bark page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Willow bark page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Willow bark and low back pain
2 rows · 489 peopleThey agree: both rows found an improvement.
- BGrade B× 1
- DGrade D× 1
- Rows
- 2
- Trials
- 3
- People
- 489
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 261 people (2014) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 228 to 261 people, published from 2001 to 2014: 1 pooled review and 1 single study.
The rows
2 improved- BGrade BLow back pain (pooled willow bark trials) · Improved
Meta-analysis, 2 studies · n 261 · 2014 · Adults with non-specific low back pain (2 placebo-controlled willow bark trials within a 14-trial herbal review)
120 or 240 mg salicin/day · Short term (as reported in the review)
Probably better than placebo for short-term pain relief and less rescue medication (moderate-quality evidence). No significant adverse events were noted in the included trials.
Row on the Willow bark page · PubMed 25536022 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DLow back pain flare-ups versus rofecoxib · Improved
RCT · n 228 · 2001 · Outpatients aged 18 to 80 with acute flare-ups of low back pain (228 randomised; number analysed not given in the abstract)
240 mg salicin/day (versus rofecoxib 12.5 mg/day) · 4 weeks
Both groups improved similarly (pain component of the Arhus index about 30% better; about 60% responders in each group), with no significant difference between treatments and similar adverse events.
Row on the Willow bark page · PubMed 11752510 (opens PubMed)