Natural Products for Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy: Research Progress and Translational Perspectives
5 affiliations
- 1Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- 2Key Laboratory of Active Proteins and Peptides Green Biomanufacturing of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- 3Institute of Biomedical Health Technology and Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
- 4Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis (Ministry of Education), Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- 5Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent synovial inflammation, progressive joint destruction, and substantial systemic complications. Although current pharmacological therapies have improved disease control, important unmet needs for RA remission remain owing to the incomplete response, loss of efficacy, long-term safety concerns, limited capacity for tissue repair, and barriers related to accessibility and adherence. Against this background, natural products have emerged as an important area of interest in RA therapy research because many of them can modulate multiple components of the pathogenic network, including immune dysregulation, synovial inflammation, oxidative stress, and structural damage. Therefore, this review provides an updated overview of natural products for RA treatment, with emphasis on their therapeutic effects, mechanistic basis, and translational potential as well as key challenges. In particular, we discuss the natural-product research in RA therapy along an evolving continuum, from traditionally used complex natural products, such as herbal medicines and venom-based preparations, to structurally defined bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polysaccharides. The review further summarizes the principal pharmacological actions of these agents, their advantages and limitations in anti-RA intervention, and current strategies to enhance their development, including formulation optimization, delivery systems, and mechanism-guided translational approaches.
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BibTeX
@article{zhou2026natural,
title = {{Natural Products for Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy: Research Progress and Translational Perspectives}},
author = {Qinxuan Zhou and Zhengyang Song and Bing Xu and Canyang Zhang and Xin-Hui Xing and Yi Wang},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27219835},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9835},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Natural Products for Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy: Research Progress and Translational Perspectives
AU - Qinxuan Zhou
AU - Zhengyang Song
AU - Bing Xu
AU - Canyang Zhang
AU - Xin-Hui Xing
AU - Yi Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27219835
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9835
AB - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent synovial inflammation, progressive joint destruction, and substantial systemic complications. Although current pharmacological therapies have improved disease control, important unmet needs for RA remission remain owing to the incomplete response, loss of efficacy, long-term safety concerns, limited capacity for tissue repair, and barriers related to accessibility and adherence. Against this background, natural products have emerged as an important area of interest in RA therapy research because many of them can modulate multiple components of the pathogenic network, including immune dysregulation, synovial inflammation, oxidative stress, and structural damage. Therefore, this review provides an updated overview of natural products for RA treatment, with emphasis on their therapeutic effects, mechanistic basis, and translational potential as well as key challenges. In particular, we discuss the natural-product research in RA therapy along an evolving continuum, from traditionally used complex natural products, such as herbal medicines and venom-based preparations, to structurally defined bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polysaccharides. The review further summarizes the principal pharmacological actions of these agents, their advantages and limitations in anti-RA intervention, and current strategies to enhance their development, including formulation optimization, delivery systems, and mechanism-guided translational approaches.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -