Dear Colleagues,

Rheumatic diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders mainly affecting joints and other surrounding tissues, but in some cases even organs. Some of these pathologies are among the most common diseases worldwide; however, many of them are chronic conditions with no cure.

Since there are more than 200 different diseases affecting the musculoskeletal system, their treatments are also varied in nature. Nevertheless, the main goals are management and relief of pain, reducing inflammation in affected tissues, reduction and prevention of joint damage, and preservation of joint mobility. With these aims, the used medications include analgesics, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents (NSAIDs), steroids, Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs), and biologic response modifiers. Unfortunately, prolonged administration of NSAIDs, steroids, and DMARDs is commonly associated with deleterious side effects.

Therefore, in the pursuit of new and safer approaches for rheumatic disease management, natural products have gained a great interest within food and non-food sectors due their healthy properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and other qualities related to joint health. Thus, a growing number of studies suggest the benefits of supplementation with nutritional and herbal components, such as phenolics, flavonoids, and carotenoids, as well as different diets such as the vegan or traditional Mediterranean diets.

Herein, this Special Issue invites all researchers and clinicians to publish works concerning the use of natural bioactive compounds as a complementary and alternative treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. 

Dr. Carlos Vaamonde-García
Dr. María Carmen De Andrés
Guest Editors

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• mediterranean diet
• flavonoids
• phenolic compounds
• carotenoids
• oils
• fatty acids
• herbal byproducts
• arthritis
• osteoarthritis
• systemic lupus erythematosus, gout