Antioxidant potential of two polyherbal. preparations used in Ayurveda for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) are together with prostanoids, leukotrienes and proteases, believed to be the mediators of inflammation and responsible for the pathogenesis of tissue destruction in RA. Antioxidant (AO) activity is one of the mechanisms by which many conventional drugs used in day to day treatment of RA alleviate the painful symptoms associated with this disease. An investigation has been carried out to compare the antioxidant potentials of two polyherbal formulations, Maharasnadhi quathar (MRQ) and Weldehi choornaya (WC), used by Ayurvedic medical practitioners in Sri-Lanka for the treatment of RA patients.