Research Progress on Mechanism of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common inflammatory arthropathy diseases, characterized by synovium hyperplasia and progressive destruction of articular cartilage, which is significantly associated with dysfunction and shortening of life span. Drug therapy is the main intervention for RA, but the glucocorticoid and immunosuppressant have many shortcomings in treatment, such as great side effect, slow onset and poor efficacy, while biological agents are too expensive. RA belongs to the category of "arthralgia syndrome" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM treatment for RA has a well-established history and multiple advantages such as good curative effect and less side effects, but its mechanism needs to be further studied. Signaling pathway is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of RA, so it is one of the main targets in research on the pathogenesis of RA and related pharmacological research of therapeutic drugs. In recent years, a large number of studies have been carried out on the regulation effect of active components of TCM on RA signaling pathways. These signaling pathways include Wnt signaling pathway, Janus tyrosine kinase (JAK)-signal transducers and transcription activator (STAT) signaling pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) signaling pathway, phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/serine/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, Toll like receptor (TLRs) signaling pathway, receptor activator of the nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL)/receptor activator of the nuclear factor kappa B (RANK)/Osteoprotegerin (OPG) signaling pathway and so on. By reviewing the research results in recent years, we hope to provide ideas and reference for the basic research, development of new drugs and clinical treatment of RA.