Bushen Quhan Zhiwang Decoction + methotrexate

Bushen Quhan Zhiwang Decoction + methotrexate is a combination therapy used primarily in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), especially in patients with persistent low disease activity despite conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The combination consists of: - Methotrexate, a well-established small molecule DMARD that inhibits dihydrofolate reductase to suppress immune cell proliferation and inflammation. - Bushen Quhan Zhiwang Decoction (BQZD), a traditional Chinese medicine herbal formula composed of 18 herbs. It is designed to "tonify the kidney" and "dispel cold," concepts from traditional Chinese medicine believed to address underlying syndromes associated with RA. The decoction has demonstrated immunomodulatory effects, including reduction of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor, and improvement in clinical symptoms like morning stiffness and joint tenderness when combined with methotrexate compared to methotrexate alone[1][3][5]. The mechanism of action for BQZD involves modulation of immune responses—such as regulation of osteoclastogenesis via pathways involving RANKL/OPG balance—and anti-inflammatory effects through its herbal constituents[5]. Curcumin from Curcumae longae rhizoma is noted as an abundant active component.

Other names

Bushen Quhan Zhiwang decoction combined with methotrexateBQZD + MTXkidney-tonifying and cold-dispelling Zhiwang decoction plus methotrexate