Flavonoids and Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition that mainly affects the bone joints that are lubricated by synovial fluids.

RA has well-known clinical manifestations and cause severe locomotor disability, deterioration in the quality of life, progressive disability, and premature death along with socioeconomic burdens.

Although immunosuppressive drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to treat this condition, most of these drugs have severe side effects. Flavonoids are plant metabolites with beneficial pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects. Flavonoids, which are polyphenolic compounds found in a variety of plants, vegetables, and fruits have demonstrated anti-arthritic activity mediated mainly through the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Many investigations show that in contrast to other classes of phytochemicals, the flavonoids have the greatest therapeutic potential against arthritis by modulating the expression of pro-inflammatory TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17, as well as anti-inflammatory IL-2 and IL-10 cytokines, through the suppression of dynamic inflammatory biomarkers.

References:

Hughes SD, Ketheesan N, Haleagrahara N. The therapeutic potential of plant flavonoids on rheumatoid arthritis. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Nov 22;57(17):3601-3613. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2016.1246413. PMID: 27874281.

Mahmoud AM, Sayed AM, Ahmed OS, Abdel-Daim MM, Hassanein EHM. The Role of Flavonoids in Inhibiting IL-6 and Inflammatory Arthritis. Curr Top Med Chem. 2022;22(9):746-768. doi: 10.2174/1568026622666220107105233. PMID: 34994311.