5 Reasons Why Palo Azul May Improve Arthritis Health

Ever since the 1600s, palo azul tea has been a popular traditional medicine for improving inflammatory ailments such as arthritis, sciatica, rheumatism, lumbago and gout. Recently, studies have observed palo azul’s potent anti-inflammatory properties and the studies have supported palo azul’s efficacy for these traditional uses.

For example, this 2018 concluded the following: “The results here presented corroborate the folk medicinal use of palo azul in the treatment of infections, diarrhea, inflammation, and pain.“

In fact, according to the Arthritis Foundation, “tea is one of the most-studied drinks when it comes to its benefits for arthritis patients. Teas are rich in polyphenols – compounds from plants that have strong anti-inflammatory effects.”

Palo azul tea is indeed rich in polyphenols, which contribute to its anti-inflammatory fame. This article cites sources which demonstrate that palo azul has “2 to 8 times higher phenolic content than green, black, and yellow teas.”

A 2021 study found several phytochemicals (polyphenols) in palo azul such as “flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, phenolic compounds, chalcones and dihydrochalcones” which have been linked to its health benefits, highlighting “diuretic, antidiabetic, antiglycation, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial potential.”

1. Anti-inflammatory

A 2016 study found that palo azul “exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity.”

A 2015 concluded a similar result: “Our data indicate that palo azul exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in all the trials of paw and ear edema induced exhibiting also anti-arthritic activity.”

Another study which supports these findings found that palo azul “showed a significant inhibition of the carrageenan-induced inflammation“ and the authors concluded that “these results give support to the use of this plant as an anti-inflammatory in traditional medicine.

2. Anti-arthritic

This 2016 study concluded that palo azul had a “significantly dose-related anti-arthritic activity in M. tuberculosis-induced adjuvant arthritis test in rats, which is considered close to simulating human rheumatoid arthritis.”

A 2018 study similarly concluded the following: “Our findings support the use of Eysenhardtia polystachya bark (palo azul) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and pain management.”

The researchers explain how inflammation can damage joints:

“Many different pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of RA (rheumatoid arthritis), especially pro-inflammatory cytokine pathways such as those mediated by tumour-necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), IL-18, and IL-6. IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α are the key cytokines that drive inflammation in RA (5). These cytokines activate cells in their local environments and continue the production of cytokines; this in turn creates a positive feedback loop between fibroblasts and macrophage-like synoviocytes, perpetuating synovial inflammation (6). Moreover, these soluble pro-inflammatory molecules activate various signal transduction cascades and activate transcription factors, which subsequently induce the over-expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), osteoclast formation, and synovial proliferation, ultimately leading to the destruction of joints and functional impairments.”

Their study showed that “after treatment for 7 days with (palo azul), the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α and GM-CSF decreased.” After arthritis develops, what follows is “the destruction of periarticular bone and cartilage” and this “eventually causes bony ankylosis and leg deformities.” They concluded that “palo azul) partially inhibited the degradation of cartilage and bone, likely due to flavonoids.”

Additionally, another 2018 study found that palo azul has D-pinitol, which has been shown to be “osteoporosis preventive.”

Moreover, a 2021 study mentions that “palo azul tea is widely used in folk medicine as a diuretic and for the treatment of kidney diseases, urinary tract irritation, kidney pain, bone pain (analgesic).”

3. Uric acid reducer

In addition to palo azul’s anti-inflammatory activity, studies have also shown that palo azul can reduce uric acid levels. Accumulation of uric acid levels is commonly associated with inflammation, arthritis, sciatica and gout.

A 2008 study mentions that palo azul “has been used in traditional treatments of nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis, lumbalgia, arthritis, rheumatism, sciatica, and as blood depurative because it eliminates uric acid, of which application the palo azul derives its diuretic and antirheumatic fame.”

Moreover, a 2019 study on palo azul which supports this finding, explains that “the accumulation of uric acid generates the production of monosodium urate crystals that can cause inflammatory and pain response, leading to renal and hepatic injuries.”

They concluded that “groups treated with the dihydrochalcone (palo azul extract) showed a significantly decreased uric acid.”

4. Rich in flavonoids

Numerous studies have found that palo azul tea is rich in flavonoids, which are polyphenols that plants produce to fight bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens.

This 2018 study explains the specific anti-arthritic biological mechanisms of palo azul’s flavonoids:

“We evaluated the anti-arthritic and antinociceptive properties of an ethanolic extract of E. polystachya (palo azul) bark and its rich-flavonoids fractions in murine models. Many plant constituents, including flavonoids, have proven effective against arthritis by reducing cartilage degradation, diminishing leukocyte infiltration in the synovial space, decreasing serum cytokine levels, and other mechanisms.”

What is cartilage degradation, leukocyte infiltration and cytokines?

Cartilage degradation, or Osteoarthritis, occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints gradually deteriorates.

Leukocyte infiltration contributes to the development of tissue injury associated with inflammatory diseases. Leukocytes are activated to secrete a variety of substances such as growth factors, chemokines and cytokines, which are considered to be one of the primary sources of the tissue injury.

Cytokines are involved in the up-regulation of inflammatory reactions.

In other words… flavonoids showed the ability to reduce bone deterioration and tissue injury because of their anti-inflammatory activity.

* Here’s a surprising finding! A study found that flavonoids “have the most potential of dietary components for promotion of bone health beyond calcium and vitamin D.” The researchers mention that “recent epidemiological studies show flavonoid consumption to have a stronger association with bone than general fruit and vegetable consumption.”

A 2012 study explains the beneficial biological mechanisms of flavonoids in bone health:

“Flavonoids have been reported to enhance bone formation and to inhibit bone resorption through their action on cell signaling pathways that influence osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation.”

What does bone formation/resorption and osteoblast/osteoclast mean?

Bone formation, also called ossification, is the process by which new bone is produced.

Bone resorption is the destruction of bone tissues that promotes bone loss, that is, a decrease in bone mass and bone density.

Osteoblasts are cells that are involved in the formation and mineralization of bones

Osteoclasts are the cells that degrade bone to initiate normal bone remodeling and mediate bone loss in pathologic conditions by increasing their resorptive activity.

In other words…flavonoids showed the ability to promote new bone formation and to prevent bone loss or destruction. For these reasons, flavonoids may be even more beneficial for bone health than calcium or vitamin D!

Flavonoid-rich foods: apples, pears, onions, strawberries, blueberries, celery, peppers, and teas

5. Antinociceptive

Several studies have also shown that palo azul exhibited antinociceptive activity. Antinociception means that it inhibits the sensation of a painful or harmful stimulus by blocking signals from neurons.

For example, the previously cited 2018 study found that palo azul “decreased the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and showed antinociceptive activity.”

They also found that palo azul “induced a similar antinociceptive effect to indomethacin” and it “induces peripheral antinociceptive effects in inflammation pain.”

Indomethacin is an anti-inflammatory drug used to relieve pain, swelling, and joint stiffness caused by arthritis, gout, bursitis, and tendonitis.

This 2009 study mentions that “pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in the up-regulation of inflammatory reactions, and there is abundant evidence that certain pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in the process of pathological pain.”

In other words…palo azul showed the ability to decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are associated with inflammation and pain.

* Here’s an interesting finding: Another 2018 study found that palo azul “showed antinociceptive and antidiarrheal effects with similar potency compared to standard drugs.”

* Although we do not recommend replacing standard medications, these findings establish the importance of having a diet full of natural medicines with potent health benefits.

Conclusion

In summary, palo azul tea may help to improve arthritis health because it’s anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, antinociceptive, it reduces uric acid, and it’s rich in flavonoids. Evidence suggests that all these properties could help to improve bone health associated with arthritis, sciatica, joint pain, rheumatism, lumbago and gout.

We’ll just leave you with this 2020 review quote from this which promotes herbal remedies (including palo azul) for treating arthritis:

“Despite the success rate of various allopathic drugs in treating the symptoms and controlling the progression of the diseases, the synthetic drugs have clinically been reported with serious toxic effects in patients. The current review is concerned with toxic effects of available synthetic drugs emerging from the usage of the various herbal medicinal plants as a good source of active chemical constituents exhibiting potent therapy for the arthritis. Therefore, the current therapy preferences are shifting towards the herbal medication as an alternative and complementary therapy with less or no side effects.”