Oxidative stress mediated oleanolic acid therapeutic potential in rheumatoid arthritis: focus on the mechanisms

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. Several signaling pathways associated with oxidative stress, such as Nrf2, NOX and NF-κB, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of RA. Promoted reactive oxygen species cause the damage of lipids, nucleic acid and proteins, leading to RA. Given the evidence of the damage caused by oxidative stress to rheumatoid arthritis, the use of antioxidants has become a comprehensive approach for treating the disease. The natural antioxidant oleanolic acid (OA) modulates several signaling pathways connected to redox imbalance, thereby mitigating oxidative injury. Medical research has confirmed that OA has significant therapeutic potential in a variety of diseases through anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and participates in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. This article reviews the signaling pathways and antioxidant activity of OA in the pathogenesis of RA, as well as the research progress in the prevention and treatment of RA in recent years, to identify therapeutic targets and new antioxidant treatment methods for RA.