Despite the heavy marketing of pharmaceutical drugs, herbal remedies continue to be discovered and proven successful in clinical trials. This is especially true when it comes to the subject of arthritis. Both drug manufacturers and herbalists having been trying to find the magic solution to ending arthritis pain. Drug companies, for the most part, focus on blocking pain symptoms. Herbal solutions usually try to remedy the malfunctions in the body that lead to inflammation and pain.
Take, for example, the performance of “Clematis mandshurica,” a popular Korean herbal remedy made from a flowering plant.
Researchers investigated the effects of this herb on the various mechanisms that cause arthritis. They noted at the outset of their animal study that “Clematis mandshurica” is known for its ability to inhibit “interleukin” (a protein involved in inflammatory reactions) and “tumor necrosis factor” (a protein capable of attacking and destroying tumor cells, but that also causes inflammation). The research team then administered “Clematis mandshurica” to rats with arthritic joint pain.
The researchers found that administration of “Clematis mandshurica” on the same day or five days prior to inducing joint inflammation in the rats significantly reduced the inflammation, as compared to the untreated animals. The administration of the herbal remedy also inhibited the inflammatory response in general and restored the weight of the bodies and immune organs of arthritic rats. The researchers noted that the arthritic rats showed dramatically increased levels of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1.The administration of “Clematis mandshurica” reduced the above changes significantly. They concluded that the herb had a beneficial effect on arthritic rats due to modulating inflammatory proteins, which play a crucial role in the development of the disease.
If you suffer from arthritis, get your doctor’s advice before trying any new herbal remedy. For other great ideas about alternative cures for joint pain, read the article New Hope for Arthritis Sufferers.