Cinnamon compound could treat rheumatoid arthritis in the future

A compound found in cinnamon and tonka beans is under the spotlight due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Scientists from the University of Eastern Finland hope that new ways of synthesising coumarin-based drugs could lead to better treatment of chronic inflammation diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.

Lead researcher, Juri Timonen, developed new ways of quickly identifying natural and non-natural coumarins and found that some synthesised coumarins could inhibit specific reactions associated with inflammation. The new methods also lowered production costs.

To read the original research visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rcm.6735/abstract.