Chinese Herb Shows Promise As Rheumatoid Arthritis
Treatment; Could Be Cheaper Than Methotrexate
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) — not to be confused with osteoarthritis — affects an
estimated 1.5 million people in the U.S. As an autoimmune disorder, it develops
when the immune system starts attacking the body’s own tissue, affecting people
at any age (but most frequently in middle age and up) with joint inflammation
and pain, among many other symptoms, that often come and go in so-called
flares. While there are currently drugs to treat the disease, including
methotrexate, they sometimes don’t work. Now, a new study finds that a Chinese
herbal remedy may be able to treat people with RA more effectively.
Originating in ancient China, traditional Chinese medicine has been implemented in many parts of the world for
thousands of years. It includes various practices of well-being, including
acupuncture, tai chi, qi gong, and the use of Chinese herbs for treating
disease. Many Chinese “herbs” aren’t actually herbs either, and sometimes
include minerals or animal products that are formulated into teas, capsules,
liquid extracts, and powders.
“Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) is used in
traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of joint pain, fever, chills,
oedema, and local inflammation,” the researchers wrote. It’s sometimes called
the Thunder God Vine and is recognized for its anti-inflammatory
properties, as well as the ability to suppress the immune system and possibly
fight cancer. Its ability to remedy these ailments, according to researchers of
the new study, come from its chloroform-methanol extract and compounds — some
of over 300 — derived from it, known as diterpenoids.
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