Swelling in the joints is a common symptom of rheumatoid arthritis and now we could have more ways to treat it, recent findings suggest. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences recently looked at the effects of a herb on our joint health, with interesting results.
Traditional treatments
Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex condition that can have far-reaching consequences on our wellbeing. It’s known for its effect on the joints, which become inflamed when our immune system is wrongly triggered to attack tissue that acts as protective caps on our bones. This immune response may also target tissue in other places, such as our eyes and mouth. As well as joint issues, we could suffer from fatigue and flu-like symptoms. It can affect us at any age, but is more commonly seen in those aged from 30 to 60. Pain is one of the most difficult symptoms to manage when we have arthritis and although medication can help, the side effects over time can lead to further health issues like osteoporosis. This means that if we take natural-based medications we could protect our health from these kinds of issues.
Herbal help
Doctor Surender Singh from the institute recently investigated the role of coriander in reducing joint swelling. When we have rheumatoid arthritis our joints can get stiff and sore first thing in the morning, or when we don’t use them for a while. Inspired by India’s Ayurvedic medicine, he administered animals with the herb to see if it helped reduce swelling. Dr Singh reveals that the compound helped combat the inflammatory response caused by rheumatoid arthritis. He added that as the condition has a similar effect in animals as it does in humans, meaning the experiment shows how the herbal compound has medical properties. He calls for more research into the herb, which could lead to coriander-based supplements, until then we can benefit from its potential wellness properties by including it in dishes, like curries.
Comments are closed.