Comprehensive Review on Ayurvedic Formulations and Herbal Medicines for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune inflammatory disorder is characterized by progressive cartilage erosion leading to joint destruction, pain, stiffness, and swelling. Although the etiology of the disease is unknown, genetic changes due to factors such as environmental agents, immune response towards infectious agents influence rheumatoid arthritis. Earlier NSAIDs were the first choice of drugs for the treatment of disease but due to having certain side effects and limitations, herbal therapies which possess higher efficacy and safety are now in demand. There are hundreds of plants that have phytoconstituents that exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. A combination of plants is used to make polyherbal formulations that act synergistically to give anti-arthritic activity. The review is about the botanicals and traditional formulations which have been clinically tested for the treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis.