Medicinal plants used on arthritis treatment: An overview through patent analysis

Abstract

Arthritis is a chronic disabling disease that usually affects the joints. Conventional drugs have restrictions with side effects and high cost of treatment; therefore the search for newer medicinal agents both safe and cheaper is crucial. A significant proportion of the population in the world currently uses medicinal plants and there is an increasing trend in the use of herbal preparations to treat several diseases. Since patent documents are the most important source of technological information, in the present study we analysed granted patents claiming the use of medicinal plants in arthritis treatment. China was the leader in the number of patents, and the top list of granted patents includes mainly companies. Different preparations for the treatment of the most common types of arthritis were claimed. The development of standardized products with low cost, high efficacy and safety of use is of great clinical significance and market value.