Rheumatoid arthritis affected 1.29 million people over the age of 18 in 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with a prevalence among women being approximately twice to three times that for men. A variety of medicinal herbs offer relief of symptoms for those seeking treatments in addition to or outside of conventional Western medicine. As with all remedies, consult your health care professional to determine the most appropriate course of therapy.
Snow Lotus
Commonly known as Cotton-Headed Snow Rabbit or Cotton-Headed Snow Lotus, three species of Himalayan herbs, Saussurea laniceps, Saussurea involucrata and Saussurea medusa, were tested for their usefulness in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in a study reported in a 2010 article in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology." Traditionally used in Uigher and Tibetan medicines for their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, the three herbs were tested individually on mice to determine their relative strengths and weaknesses and were also evaluated to discern their active constituents.
The researchers found that for reducing inflammation, Saussurea laniceps and Saussurea involucrata had 55.1 percent and 42.2 percent effectiveness, respectively. Saussurea laniceps was the most efficacious of the three at relieving pain, with a dose of 400mg per kilogram of body weight, resulting in 43.5 percent pain reduction. Chemical analysis of the herbs revealed that flavonoids, a type of antioxidant; coumarins, a molecule that can be converted into a blood-thinning agent; and lignins, a type of plant fiber, were potentially responsible for the observed effects. Check with your health care professional before using snow lotus.
Cat's-Claw
The South American herb cat's-claw, whose botanical name is Uncaria tomentosa, was evaluated in a yearlong study of 40 rheumatoid arthritis patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who concurrently took the drugs sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine. The study, published in 2002 in the "Journal of Rheumatology," found that after 24 weeks, the group taking cat's-claw herb reported less than half the number of painful joints as the placebo group. The researchers concluded that cat's-claw provided modest benefits with good safety. Consult with a qualified health professional before using cat's-claw.
Turmeric
One of the autoimmune characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis is overactivation and overgrowth of joint tissues. Curcumin, a compound from the spice turmeric, was tested for its ability to inhibit overgrowth of joint tissue in a study published in 2007 in the "International Journal of Molecular Medicine." The researchers found that cells treated with curcumin inhibited the overgrowth of joint tissue. Additionally, curcumin decreased inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2. The researchers concluded curcumin may have a role in managing rheumatoid arthritis. Seek the advice of your health care provider regarding the use of turmeric.
References
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Comparison of the Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Nociceptive Effects of Three Medicinal Plants Known as "Snow Lotus" Herb in Traditional Uighur and Tibetan Medicines; T. Yi et al.; 2010
- "Journal of Rheumatology"; Randomized Double Blind Trial of an Extract From the Pentacyclic Alkaloid-Chemotype of Uncaria Tomentosa for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis; E. Mur et al.; 2002
- "International Journal of Molecular Medicine"; Curcumin Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Prostaglandin E(2) Production in Synovial Fibroblasts of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis; C. Park et al.; 2007
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Rheumatoid Arthritis
