Medicinal Plants in the Prevention and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The word arthritis means inflammation of the joint (“artho” meaning joint and “itis” meaning inflammation). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a ravaging inflammatory and autoimmune illness that affects the joints. Although its cause is still unknown. With RA, inflammation manifests in the lining of the joints causing pain, swelling, joint damage and deformity. It can occasionally involve other internal organs, such as the nerves, eyes, lungs or heart. The earliest symptoms of RA can be non-specific, including feeling unwell or tired soreness in or around joints, low-grade fever, and weight loss/poor appetite. As time goes on, RA can involve more and more joints on both sides of the body, often in a “symmetrical” pattern. Although various drugs have been used to control RA, there are numerous reports regarding the side effects of these drugs. A range of newer drugs called TNF blockers have been linked to a condition called leukocytoclastic vasculitis, or LCV. TNF blockers, specifically Humira and Remicade, reportedly increase the risk of cancer and serious infections. As a consequence, researchers are now searching for alternatives therapeutics [1-3].