title: The therapeutic potential of plant flavonoids on rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that mainly affects peripheral joints. Although immunosuppressive drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to treat this condition, these drugs have severe side effects. Flavonoids are the most abundant phenolic compounds which exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Many bioactive flavonoids have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. However, a very few have reached clinical use. Dietary flavonoids have been reported to control joint inflammation and alleviate arthritis symptoms in both human RA and animal models of arthritis. There is little scientific evidence about their mechanism of actions in RA. We review the therapeutic effects of different groups of flavonoids belonging to the most common and abundant groups on RA. In particular, the probable mechanisms of major flavonoids on cells and chemical messengers involved in the inflammatory signaling components of RA are discussed in detail.
authors.affiliation: a Biomedicine, College of Public Health , Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University , Townsville , Australia.
authors.forename: Samuel D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: a Biomedicine, College of Public Health , Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University , Townsville , Australia.|b Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) , James Cook University , Townsville , Australia.
authors.forename: Natkunam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ketheesan
authors.affiliation: a Biomedicine, College of Public Health , Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University , Townsville , Australia.|b Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) , James Cook University , Townsville , Australia.
authors.forename: Nagaraja
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8702-0490
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haleagrahara
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005419:Flavonoids
keywords: Cytokines; arthritis; collagen-induced arthritis; immunosuppression; inflammation