Although Western medicine has had little if any applications for the herb Tripterygium wilfordii, that may soon change now that new research shows it can be used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Thunder god vine, or lei gong teng as it is known in its native China, has been used for centuries to reduce tenderness and pain associated with RA, predating even the discovery and classification of the inflammatory illness.

The study that brought these applications to light was conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Health and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine recently. Participants in the study, all of whom are RA patients, were given either a thunder god vine extract or a dose of the anti-inflammatory sulfasalazine twice a day for 24 weeks.

The group that was given the extract reported at least 20 percent improvement of their RA symptoms.

While this study can be considered a small vindication of herbal medicine in treating chronic conditions, other non-pharmaceutical substances can also help treat inflammation, including omega-3 fatty acids or flaxseed oil.