Herbal Products No Remedy for Arthritis, Review Finds

Many people try herbal products to relieve their osteoarthritis pain, but there is scant evidence that they work, according to a recent review of natural remedies.

Osteoarthritis commonly affects the knees, hips and hands. Damage to cartilage around the joints can cause horrible pain.

Unfortunately, few studies on the use of herbal remedies for osteoarthritis have been carried out, according to a review published in the January issue of the journal Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.

Researchers found flawed studies that weren’t conducted properly because they were poorly designed or didn’t involve enough patients, a DTB news release states.

Herbal medicines that have traditionally been used to treat osteoarthritis include: vegetable extracts of avocado or soybean oils (ASUs), cat’s claw, devil’s claw, Indian frankincense, ginger, nettle, rosehip, turmeric and willow bark.

Patients who take these supplements are advised to tell their physician because they can affect other medications, according to the news release.

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