A New Class Of Drugs For Rheumatoid Arthritis

To bypass the devastating side effects of RA treatments, doctors at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in California, the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford, the Scripps Institute, and other research centers have devised a way of treating rheumatoid arthritis that does not involve reducing the effectiveness of the immune system. As lead researcher Dr Nunzio Buttini puts it, about 40 percent of people who have RA simply don't get good results with any of the drugs they are offered, and increasing the dosage only leads to infections and cancer. Instead of targeting the entire immune system, what is needed is a way to target just the immune cells in the joints themselves. Finding a switch to "turn off" the immune system only in the joint would be an ideal way to keep the disease under control.

 

The switch the researchers have found is an enzyme called receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase sigma, or RPTPσ. This enzyme is a protease. It dissolves proteins in the lining of the joint called the synovium. Without this enzyme, white blood cells do not attack the joint, and the disease does not progress.

 

The research team have developed a "decoy protein" that keeps the enzyme from attacking actual proteins in the joint, at least in mice in laboratory studies. They do not believe that their discovery will lead to drugs that make the immune-modulating drugs like Imuran and methotrexate completely obsolete, but the more toxic drugs could be used in much smaller doses. Also, this new drug could be used to treat psoriatic arthritis.

 

While we are all waiting on this promised wonder drug, what can people RA do to reduce their need for toxic medications?

 

First of all, it is important not to reduce the dosages of your medications on your own, without consulting with your doctor. If you have unpleasant side effects, by all means, let your doctor know, but don't just stop a medication. You may undo months of progress by stopping a drug too soon. There may be trade offs between side effects and RA relief that your doctor can help you achieve.

 

Secondly, avail yourself of simple, natural therapies that every doctor knows about and approves. Cold packs applied over the inflamed and swollen joint help it go down. They relieve pain. Just don't use a cold pack for more that 15 to 30 minutes at a time, and don't put ice directly on the skin. Conversely, use moist warmth to relieve stiffness. Don't scald your skin. It isn't necessary to burn yourself to get arthritic pain relief.

 

Thirdly, consider two natural therapies that your doctor is likely to know about. One is omega-3 essential fatty acids. Fish oil contains the greatest amount of EPA, which is the specific omega-3 that relieves inflammation. Other sources of omega-3's don't have as much effect on RA.

READ Natural Remedies for Arthritis

A Chinese herb known as thunder god vine may also help. It is not an herb you should take if you have osteoporosis, and its safety in pregnancy has not been determined. However, many users with RA report that it reduces inflammation and tender joints.