Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the most prevalent joint disorders that result in cartilage destruction, joint pain, bone erosion, functional impairment, and disability. Other associated symptoms include oedema, granuloma formation, and leukocyte infiltration. Ankylosing spondylitis is another autoimmune disorder characterised by spine stiffness and inflammation of the axial and sacroiliac joints. Osteoporosis is a metabolic disorder that causes an imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption.

Different inflammatory and immunomodulatory mediators such as cytokines, nuclear factors, prostaglandins, autacoids, and nitric oxide play an important role in the pathophysiology of bone and joint disorders. The regulation of signalling pathways like NF-ĸB, AP-1, toll-like receptor, MAPK, and PI3/Akt is also linked with the treatment of joint inflammation. Inhibition of enzymes such as cyclooxygenase, matrix metalloproteinases, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase is also known to produce amelioration of joint inflammation.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest research that will help in the development of promising complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) to prevent and treat bone and joint disorders. We also aim to develop an understanding of anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant mechanisms to discuss the identification, relevance, and applicability of CAMs in bone and joint disorders using pharmacological, histopathological, biochemical, haematological, and biotechnological techniques. We welcome original research articles (in-silico, in-vivo, and in-vitro), review articles, and clinical studies that will highlight and boost ongoing efforts to comprehend the effects of CAMs/natural products/Chinese medicine/phytochemicals in bone and joint disorders.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Characterisation of medicinal plant extracts and identification and isolation of phytochemicals ameliorating bone and joint disorders
• Evaluation of the effects of CAMs using models of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis
• Molecular and cellular mechanisms by which CAMs ameliorate bone and joint disorders
• Studies on CAMs using models of acute inflammatory paw oedema
• CAMs demonstrating benefits in pharmacological models of osteoporosis
• Comparison of CAMs ameliorating bone and joint disorders with conventional anti-inflammatory drugs
• Identification and validation of molecular targets or biomarkers of bone and joint disorders
• Ethnopharmacological approach to the search for natural products for bone and joint disorders
• Clinical studies using CAMs, natural products, and natural product-derived drugs targeting bone and joint disorders