Herbal oil for arthritis: A review

Arthritis is a chronic and progressive musculoskeletal disorder characterized by persistent joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and inflammation, leading to functional disability and reduced quality of life. Among its different types, osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are the most prevalent forms and contribute significantly to the global burden of disease. Other less common types include psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), gout, pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease – CPPD), septic arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).Conventional treatment strategies, including the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), provide symptomatic relief but are often associated with major drawbacks such as gastrointestinal, renal, and cardiovascular adverse effects, high cost of therapy, and limited long-term efficacy. These limitations have stimulated growing interest in safer and more sustainable therapeutic alternatives.Herbal oils have gained increasing attention in recent years as promising complementary options for arthritis management owing to their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant activities. These formulations are prepared using diverse techniques including Soxhlet extraction, maceration, blending with carrier oils, and classical Ayurvedic preparations such as Pinda Taila and Mahanarayan Taila, which enhance penetration and bioavailability of active constituents through topical application. Reported advantages of herbal oils include reduction in joint pain and stiffness, improvement in mobility, cost-effectiveness, and better tolerability compared to long-term use of synthetic drugs. Overall, herbal oils represent a promising and safer adjunctive therapy for arthritis management.