Cassis (Ribes nigrum). ESCOP recognizes the medicinal use of blackcurrant leaves (psn) as an adjuvant treatment for rheumatic disorders. This grouping of national herbal medicine associations from Europe, Australia, India and the United States has identified a large number of studies showing the anti-inflammatory properties of the leaves of this plant.

Dosage

Pour 250 ml of boiling water over 5 g to 12 g of dried leaves and let infuse for 15 minutes. Take 2 cups a day of this infusion, or take 5 ml of fluid extract (1: 1) 2 times a day, before meals.

 Autumn colchicum (Colchicum autumnale). Commission E approves the use of this plant in the treatment of acute attacks of gout. Its active ingredient is colchicine, an alkaloid that is used today as a pain and drip medicine. Colchicine has no effect on uric acid levels, but it slows down inflammation¹². The grain, young bulb and flowers are included in colchicum preparations.

Dosage

During an acute gout attack, start with an initial oral dose of 1 mg colchicine, followed by lower doses (0,5 mg to 1,5 mg) taken every hour or every 2 hours, up to disappearance of pain. The daily dose should not exceed 8 mg of colchicine.

Caution. This plant is toxic : do not exceed the doses recommended by Commission E and do not repeat the treatment for 3 days. The consumption of colchicum is contraindicated in the case of pregnant women.

 Cherries and other berries. Consuming half a pound (200 g) of fresh cherries per day was a popular remedy for lowering uric acid levels and preventing gout attacks in the past.^9-11 . Other red or blue berries (such as blueberries, black currants, juniper berries and blackberries from wild mulberry) were traditionally ingested for the same purpose. They work, among other things, by strengthening the collagen in the connective tissue of cartilage and tendons. Cherry extracts are also found on the market in tablet form (not to be confused with extracts of cherry stems).