Page 295 - EJMO-9-2

Eurasian Journal of Medicine

and Oncology

LETTER TO EDITOR
Potential applications of green prescription of

Chinese medicine in rheumatoid arthritis

Yan Zhang and Ligang Jie*
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical
University, Guangzhou, China

Dear Editor,
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by persistent
synovial inflammation, joint destruction, and systemic complications that severely affect
patients’ quality of life. Epidemiological study has suggested that there are approximately
17.6 million RA patients worldwide, and the total economic cost attributed to the disease
1
is estimated to be between US$2,408 and US$83,845/year, placing a heavy economic
2
burden on patients, families, and society. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and
glucocorticoids are both common drugs used to treat RA, but long-term use can cause
a variety of adverse reactions. The efficacy of complementary non-pharmacological
3,4
strategies has gained increasing recognition in contemporary RA management
paradigms. The American College of Rheumatology now explicitly recognizes structured
exercise and nutritional adjustments as foundational treatment elements in its revised
clinical guidelines. The proposed intervention aligns with green prescription paradigms,
5
an innovative healthcare strategy initiated in New Zealand’s medical reforms during the
late 20 century. Clinical validation has confirmed the therapeutic value of evidence-
6
th
informed programs in modulating inflammatory processes, optimizing metabolic
regulation, and promoting psychological well-being among chronic disease populations.
7
*Corresponding author: The Chinese Medicine Green Prescription (GPCM) framework operationalizes this
Ligang Jie
(jieligang1976@smu.edu.cn) concept through systematic integration of historically rooted movement therapies with
modern dietary protocols and biomedical interventions. Featuring traditional medical
Citation: Zhang Y, Jie L. Potential principles harmonized with contemporary rehabilitation methodologies, this combined
applications of green prescription
of Chinese medicine in rheumatoid therapeutic model demonstrates clinically validated outcomes as an adaptable and
arthritis. Eurasian J Med Oncol. economically viable approach to RA management.
2025;9(2):287-289.
doi: 10.36922/EJMO025100049 Some studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese
Received: March 8, 2025 exercise therapy regimens in RA management, exhibiting multidimensional therapeutic
impacts beyond articular functional enhancement and quality of life improvement to
Accepted: March 11, 2025 psychological state modulation. Traditional Chinese exercises including Taijiquan,
Published online: March 27, 2025 Baduanjin, and Yijin Jing enhance local circulation by coordinating movement-
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). breathing patterns. Clinical trials suggest that these practices may improve joint
This is an Open-Access article function, mental health, and immune regulation in RA patients. A controlled clinical
distributed under the terms of the investigation revealed that structured Yijin Jing practice significantly augmented manual
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution, dexterity, grip capacity, and joint mobility while concurrently elevating life quality
and reproduction in any medium, metrics and mitigating anxiety-depression scores, without engendering adverse effects
provided the original work is on joint inflammation in RA patients. In addition, Du et al. found that Tai Chi exercise
8
properly cited.
combined with hand exercise is an effective treatment for RA that can improve joint pain,
Publisher’s Note: AccScience disease activity, quality of life, depression, and anxiety. The study would be extended to
9
Publishing remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in further optimize the intervention program of traditional Chinese exercise and conduct
published maps and institutional larger pre-clinical and clinical trials to clarify its pharmacological mechanism and
affiliations.
Volume 9 Issue 2 (2025) 287 doi: 10.36922/EJMO025100049