Phytotherapy in the Treatment of Arthritis: a Review

As the conventional treatment is associated with large number of side effects, herbal treatment is gaining popularity particularly in the treatment of chronic disease like jaundice, vitiligo, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma etc. Herbal treatment has been identified as safe and effective in treating such disease. The aim of this study was to review systematically the evidences and effectiveness of herbs used in the treatment of different forms of arthritis and their anti‐inflammatory or anti‐arthritic properties have been evaluated clinically. A number of plants have been identified as antiinflammatory and anti-arthritic, but only few of them have evidence of clinical trial. We searched the following electronic database Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field Register; Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR); and MEDLINE for our study. The reviewed herbs appear relatively safe, further research is needed to examine their efficacy, safety and potential drug interactions. INTRODUCTION: Medicinal plants have always been considered a healthy source of life for all people. Therapeutic properties of medical plants are very useful in healing various diseases and the advantage of these medicinal plants is being 100% natural. Phytotherapy (herbal remedies) is the study of the use of extracts from natural origin as medicines or health-promoting agents. The popularity of phytotherapy has significantly increased over the last three decades in the U.S., a trend driven by a resistance to conventional therapy and its associated side effects. According to World Health Organization, about 80 percent of the population of Asia and Africa rely on traditional medicines, including herbal remedies. QUICK RESPONSE CODE DOI: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.4(8).2853-65 Article can be accessed online on: www.ijpsr.com DOI link: http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.4(8).2853-65 On an international level, herbal therapies represent the largest share of the traditional medicines market, with annual sales reaching billions of dollars in China and Western Europe. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, about 70 percent of German physicians regularly prescribe between 600 and700 phytomedicines to their patients 1 . Motivating factors for use vary but frequently relate to the failure of conventional therapies in the treatment of chronic conditions. However, despite an increase in use, evidence for effectiveness and safety of many complementary therapies is limited. Arthritis represents one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and is a leading cause of disability 2 . Arthritis affected 43 million U.S. adults 3 in 2002 and is the leading cause of disability in the United States 4 . By the year 2020, this number is expected to reach 60 million. In India also more than 20% of total population is suffering from arthritis. Arthritis is a condition where one or more joints are affected, featuring inflammation of those