The effect of Moringa oleifera leaves extract and low level laser therapy on rheumatoid arthritis healing: Research on laboratory rats

Background. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of autoimmune disease. Both laser therapy and Moringa leaf extracts are effective in promoting various mechanisms, such as cartilage repair, DNA synthesis, and analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, at both the cellular and systemic levels. Objective. This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-level laser therapy and Moringa oleifera leaf extract on lipid profile changes and RA healing in male Wistar albino rats. Subjects and methods. RA was induced in 40 laboratory rats, which were divided equally into four groups. The first group was left untreated as the positive control. The second group was treated with low-level laser therapy (LLLT). The third group was treated with M. oleifera leaf extract, and the fourth group was treated with both LLLT and M. oleifera leaf extract. Blood was drawn from the animals before and during the treatment period to monitor changes in the lipid profile. Results. The results showed a change in the levels of blood lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL)) after the disease was confirmed, with a return to normal levels in the treatment groups at varying proportions. Conclusions. The results demonstrate the potential for using LLLT and Moringa leaf extracts to treat arthritis and resist high oxidative stress, particularly in the early stages of infection. Arthritis can be controlled and its progression limited through the use of laser therapy and Moringa oleifera leaf extract, both of which have shown therapeutic effectiveness and the ability to return disease-associated changes to normal levels. The average Rf post-induction was approximately 258.43 ± 27.09 on the 14th day, showing significant differences compared to the control group. WBC and ESR levels increased in all groups following the initial signs of the disease and returned to normal in the treatment groups, with notable differences between these groups.