Scientific research on anti-inflammatory herbs reveals a list of hundreds of useful plants worldwide. The one that shows the most power against joint pain is the creosote bush, a shrub from the southwestern U.S. and adjacent Mexico. Phytonutrients in this herb are known to inhibit of a key enzyme that leads to inflammation and pain.

COMPARING HERBS VS SYNTHETIC DRUGS

Joint pain is one of the biggest problems that face people as they age. Arthritis, which is defined as joint pain, seems to just get worse as time goes on. Drug companies have created several powerful synthetic chemicals that block key enzymes in the inflammatory cascade. However, these enzymes serve critical functions and the disruption of their activity leads to unwanted side effects. Indeed, the negative consequences of arthritis drugs have proven to be so dangerous that certain ones have been ordered off the market by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Pain relief from herbal preparations, however, is as effective as that from drugs, with little or no side effects.

NATURAL PRODUCTS RESEARCH ON NATURAL PAIN RELIEVERS

Public information sources for scientific research review thousands of medical journals every week. The most useful of these is PubMed at the National Institutes of Health. This database offers reviews from a special segment of medical research in complementary and alternative medicine. This segment alone lists more than 6,000 research articles on arthritis. Hundreds of these involve studies of anti-inflammatory herbs. Most of the scientific reports show how native plants can be useful against joint pain, although commercial preparations are not widely available for the vast majority of them.

Certain anti-inflammatory herbs have been known for centuries. Many of these are grown and harvested for commercial production, so they are available in health stores in many countries. A short list of the best-known ones includes white willow, Devil's claw, Boswellia, ginger, and turmeric. The best one, however, is a widespread shrub in the southwestern U.S. and nearby Mexico. It is called the creosote bush, scientific name Larrea tridentata. Although this herb is not as well-known worldwide as the others just mentioned, it contains ingredients that have a powerful inhibitory effect on enzymes that cause inflammation and pain. Furthermore, the synergistic effects of these ingredients is not so 'single-minded' as that of the synthetic drugs - meaning that the herb does not cause the negative side effects that are associated with the drugs.

NATURAL PAIN RELIEVER

You may want to know that I do have a bias in favor of the creosote bush. It is my favorite medicinal plant, which is why I have been doing research on the natural products chemistry of the creosote bush for more than 35 years. My interest started when I was a graduate student and continued throughout my career as a research scientist and university professor. I have to give credit to an old rancher in Arizona for getting me started. He came into my lab one day and told me about how he used a poultice made of leaves and young stems of the creosote bush to treat the inflamed legs of his horses. All he all he did was strap a handful of moistened leaves and young stems onto the inflamed leg, then watch the inflammation disappear.

Since that time I have discovered a rich folk medical history on the creosote bush. It has been used for centuries for dozens of human maladies, including digestive problems, flu, cold sores, and joint pain, among many other uses. Modern uses have even included a treatment for cancer, herpes, and HIV. As a researcher, I have been gratified to see that scientific studies have modernized the ancient knowledge of this plant. We now know that certain ingredients in the leaves are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activity. This explains its impact as a pain relief herb.

PRACTICAL USE OF THE CREOSOTE BUSH

Since commercial products are not yet widely available for topical use (see below), old folk medical methods are still a good approach. Use of a poultice, for example, simply requires a handful of moistened leaves, which are then held in place over the painful joint by a bandage. Of course, regardless of how simple this may seem, it is somewhat inconvenient and it requires actual plant material - i.e., whole leaves.

People who live in one of the deserts where the creosote bush grows can get plenty of fresh leaves, since this plant is the most common shrub in its native habitat. It is even cultivated in some desert landscapes (my own yard, for instance). Collecting local creosote bush material is still too inconvenient for some people, and it is downright out of the question if you don't live in an area where it grows.

Fortunately, one of the developments that came out of my laboratory is a spray-on preparation containing the anti-inflammatory ingredients from the resin of creosote bush leaves. Virtually all of the most important substances for fighting pain and inflammation are concentrated in this leaf resin. This preparation is called LarreaRx Penetrating Spray. It is not widely available in stores. However, you can get this product by following this link to DoctorsNutritionCenter.com.

WHO USES LARREARX PENETRATING SPRAY?

First off, I do. I first used it on an aching joint in my left hand so I could play golf without this pain ruining my golf grip. Of course, one consequence is that I can no longer use the excuse of pain in my hand for a bad shot! Numerous other golfers have also used LarreaRx Penetrating Spray with the same results that I got, whether it be on hands, wrists, elbows, knees, or shoulders.

In addition, one of my colleagues has convinced a number of professional athletes to use the spray. So far, we have heard about positive results from players in baseball, football, and basketball. Those folks get so dinged up in the course of a season, that seeking pain relief is a constant endeavor. I am gratified to know that we have helped them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Dennis Clark spent more than 30 years as a university professor and research scientist. He is internationally recognized for his research on the chemistry of plants that affect human health. Dr. Clark’s remarkable patented herbal formula for joint pain relief is available to the public as LarreaRx Penetrating Spray.