Comparative Ethnopharmacological Insights Into Anti-Inflammatory Phytochemicals From Indian and Chinese Medicinal Plants in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation, pain and progressive joint damage. The traditional medicines of India and China have used herbal remedies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases for centuries. The ethnopharmacological history of such medicines is an asset that can be explored for the use of herbal remedies in RA. The present study reviews medicinal plants of Indian and Chinese origin, emphasizing phytochemicals with demonstrated anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and immunomodulatory activities relevant to rheumatoid arthritis. A narrative literature review was performed using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases up to 2025. Literature that described the isolation, characterization, and biological evaluation of active compounds from traditional medicinal plants was taken into account. Phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, alkaloids and polyphenols exhibit inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2 and NF-κB. Several plants like Curcuma longa, Boswellia serrata, Zingiber officinale and Camellia sinensis demonstrate potential anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, which make them beneficial in treating arthritis. Medicinal plants from Indian and Chinese systems offer potential as supportive agents in RA management. Additional research should concentrate on the aspects of standardization, mechanistic studies and clinical validation to confirm their therapeutic benefits and their safe use alongside other traditional therapies.