Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, debilitating autoimmune disorder that affects millions worldwide, causing persistent joint pain, swelling, and reduced mobility. While conventional treatments like NSAIDs, corticosteroids, and biologics offer symptomatic relief, they often come with serious side effects and high costs, limiting long-term use. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in polyherbal formulation combinations of multiple medicinal plants traditionally used in ethnomedicine as safer and potentially more effective alternatives for managing RA.
This review explores the ethnomedicinal background and pharmacological relevance of various herbs commonly used in polyherbal formulations for RA. Plants such as Zingiber officinale (ginger), Curcuma longa (turmeric), Boswellia serrata (Indian frankincense), Withania somnifera (ashwagandha), and Tinospora cordifolia (giloy) have shown promising anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. When combined, these botanicals may work synergistically to alleviate joint inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, and regulate immune responses, addressing the disease on multiple fronts.
The review also highlights recent preclinical and clinical studies that validate the efficacy and safety of these formulations, along with the emerging role of novel drug delivery systems such as nano-carriers to enhance their bioavailability. Despite encouraging outcomes, challenges such as a lack of standardization, dosage precision, and mechanistic clarity remain.
Overall, polyherbal formulations represent a promising, culturally rooted, and scientifically evolving approach to RA management. Further research focusing on quality control, pharmacokinetics, and long-term clinical efficacy could pave the way for integrating these therapies into mainstream healthcare.