Herbal therapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Herbal Medicine
• Systematic Review

Background:

• Herbal medicine interventions show potential benefits for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• An updated systematic review of herbal therapies for RA was conducted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update an existing Cochrane systematic review on herbal therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Main Methods:

• Searched multiple electronic databases and clinical trial registries up to October 2010.
• Included randomized controlled trials comparing herbal interventions with placebo or active controls in RA patients.
• Two authors selected trials, assessed bias, and extracted data.

Main Results:

• Twenty-two studies were included, with 12 new additions.
• Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) from various oils showed potential benefits in reducing pain and disability in RA, with increased but not statistically significant adverse events.
• Tripterygium wilfordii showed some improvements but had associated side effects; Phytodolor® N had limited data due to poor reporting.

Conclusions:

• Herbal interventions for RA are often supported by limited or non-comparable studies.
• Moderate evidence suggests GLA-containing oils benefit RA symptom relief; Tripterygium wilfordii may help but carries side effect risks.
• Further well-designed trials adhering to CONSORT guidelines are necessary to validate herbal therapies for RA.