The Ability of Indigenous Plants in Alleviating Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Comprehensive Review

Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2024 Oct 30. doi: 10.2174/0115733971322472241022095935. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a long-lasted, inflammatory, systemic autoimmune disease that predominantly manifests in people between the ages of 30 and 50 Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by more than a half-hour of morning stiffness in the affected joints, fever, soreness, swelling, weight loss, tiredness, warm joints, and subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules. Hormonal, genetic, epigenetic, reproductive, and neuroendocrine risk factors, as well as comorbid host variables, are the categories of host-related risk factors associated with the evolution of RA. Additional risk variables that have been linked to RA include food, environmental variables, socioeconomic status, smoking, microbiome, infection agents, and other airborne exposures. The objective of RA therapies is to minimise joint deformity and destruction, minimise discomfort and inflammation in the joints, and maximise joint function.Growing data suggests that the course of Rheumatoid Arthritis is affected by the minimisation of disease activity caused by disease-modifying medications, and that patients may benefit from early antirheumatic medication delivery that modifies illness. While numerous herbs have been explored for their anti-inflammatory properties, it is important to note that not all herbs have been thoroughly researched. This review focuses on seventeen native plant species that have shown either promising or established anti-arthritic effects based on preclinical and clinical studies where available. The review highlights the biochemical and immunological attributes of these herbs, summarizing their therapeutic potential for RA management while also acknowledging the limitations and gaps in current research. This examination provides insights into the potential of these herbal treatments for RA and calls for further research to explore their efficacy and safety in greater depth.

Keywords: Rheumatoid Arthritis; antirheumatic drugs; auto-immune disorder; deformity; epigenetic; herbs.