چکیده (انگلیسی):

Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cause significant morbidity and
loss of productivity. Many potent conventionally used drugs are available for these diseases,
but their prolonged use is accompanied by severe adverse effects besides a high cost.
Therefore, there is an unmet need for effective but less expensive medications for RA and
other autoimmune diseases. Natural plant products belonging to the traditional systems
of medicine, such as the traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine, offer
a vast and promising resource in this regard. However, herbal medicinal products are often
poorly characterized for their composition as well as mechanisms of action.We review here
the results of our systematically performed studies aimed at defining the anti-arthritic activity
of three herbal extracts, namely, modified Huo-luo-xiao-ling dan (HLXL), Celastrus aculeatus
Merr., and polyphenolic fraction of green tea (Camellia sinensis), as well as a purifiedcompound Celastrol, a bioactive component of Celastrus. Specifically, we examined the
effects of these herbal products on the immunological, biochemical and molecular
biological effector pathways in autoimmune arthritis.We have also reviewed here related
studies on these herbal products by other investigators. Taken together, we suggest
further testing of these herbal products in RA patients.