Herbal medicines for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of pain and disability.1 In the UK, up to 8.5 million people are affected by joint pain that may be attributed to the condition.2 Non-surgical treatment options include lifestyle measures (e.g. exercise); local therapy involving heat or cold; manual therapy; transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS); topical capsaicin; simple analgesics; NSAIDs; opioids; and intra-articular corticosteroid injections.3 Studies have reported widespread use of complementary and alternative therapies such as herbal medicines by patients with arthritis.45 Here we review the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines for symptoms of osteoarthritis.