Phytochemicals from medicinal plants from African forests with potentials in rheumatoid arthritis management

Abstract

Objectives Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation, pain, and cartilage and bone damage. There is currently no cure for RA. It is however managed using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, often with severe side effects. Hidden within Africa’s lush vegetation are plants with diverse medicinal properties including anti-RA potentials. This paper reviews the scientific literature for medicinal plants, growing in Africa, with reported anti-RA activities and identifies the most abundant phytochemicals deserving research attention. A search of relevant published scientific literature, using the major search engines, such as Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, etc. was conducted to identify medicinal plants, growing in Africa, with anti-RA potentials. Key findings Twenty plants belonging to 17 families were identified. The plants are rich in phytochemicals, predominantly quercetin, rutin, catechin, kaempferol, etc., known to affect some pathways relevant in RA initiation and progression, and therefore useful in its management. Summary Targeted research is needed to unlock the potentials of medicinal plants by developing easy-to-use technologies for preparing medicines from them. Research attention should focus on how best to exploit the major phytochemicals identified in this review for the development of anti-RA ‘green pharmaceuticals’.

Bioactive Molecules against Rheumatoid Arthritis by Suppressing Pyroptosis

“…However, if treatment fails, treat-to-target therapy can have many adverse effects, such as poor tolerability, low adherence, and safety issues for patients with rheumatoid arthritis caused by methotrexate, a drug commonly used in treat-to-target therapy [ 7 ]. Current drug therapies for the treatment of RA include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or biologic agents designed to reduce the symptoms of the disease, while there is currently no treatment available to cure RA [ 8 , 9 ]. Current clinical conventional drug therapy has limited therapeutic efficacy and is often associated with serious side effects, including hepatotoxicity; retinopathy; and cardiotoxicity disorders of the central nervous system, skin, blood, and infections [ 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

“…Current drug therapies for the treatment of RA include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or biologic agents designed to reduce the symptoms of the disease, while there is currently no treatment available to cure RA [ 8 , 9 ]. Current clinical conventional drug therapy has limited therapeutic efficacy and is often associated with serious side effects, including hepatotoxicity; retinopathy; and cardiotoxicity disorders of the central nervous system, skin, blood, and infections [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Recent evidence suggests that novel targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, such as Janus-kinase (JAK) inhibitors, are superior to conventional therapy in combination with glucocorticoids for the treatment of early RA [ 11 ].…”

Integrating network pharmacology and pharmacological evaluation to investigate the anticancer effects of Duranta erecta Linn. Verbenaceae in breast cancer

“…Till date, many drugs have been produced from plants, many plants are being explored for therapeutics properties, and many other plants are pending investigation 14,15 . Plants with a variety of medicinal qualities, including potential anticancer effects, are concealed among Africa's lush vegetation 16 . Duranta erecta is one of the plants found in the African flora which is at the epicenter of this study.…”