Report of 12 cases of ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with Tripterygium wilfordii

OBJECTIVE: Description of the clinical response of 12 consecutive cases of disease-active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) treated with the herbal medicine Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f (TwHf; lei gong teng, thunder god vine), which has been reported in controlled studies to be effective in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The clinical status of 12 patients with active AS who were started on 60 mgday(-1) of a commercial tablet preparation of TwHf extract. were monitored at weeks 1, 3, and 6. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, there was significant improvement in mean values of physician assessment, Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI), and Bath ankylosing spondylitis global score (BAS-G) at weeks 3 and 6, with no changes in liver enzymes or complete blood count (CBC). CONCLUSION: A placebo-controlled double-blind study for Tripterygium is warranted. Until then, this particular report should be considered as case reports and not an endorsement of the use of Tripterygium in clinical practice.