REVIEW OF ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS WITH ANTI-ARTHRITIC POTENTIAL FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Traditional medicinal herbs are utilized globally for the treatment of many acute and chronic ailments. The formulation of herbal products offers numerous benefits, including enhanced affordability, increased acceptability, and diminished negative effects. Arthritis ranks as the second most prevalent disease globally with India accounting for 22-39 percent of the overall incidence. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disorder marked by persistent inflammatory states. The manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis include discomfort, oedema, rigidity and degradation of cartilage and bone. The etiology of rheumatoid arthritis remains unclear however the release of metabolic intermediates such as interleukins (IL) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) from T-cells which produce growth factors, cytokines, and adhesive molecules on immune cells, leads to inflammation and tissue destruction.Numerous medicinal plants in tribal and rural regions have been employed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and present a prospective avenue for the development of an anti-arthritic drug with minimized adverse effects. This review concentrated on ethnobotanical medicinal plants exhibiting anti-arthritic properties throughout many global locations.This review sought to examine numerous medicinal plants and their separated active compounds that exhibit anti-arthritic properties supported by scientific evidence and concluded that herbal medicine represents a promising field for the development of anti-arthritic drugs.