Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38284720›Full record

ReviewCurrent drug research reviews2025

The Journey of Methotrexate and Potential Alternative Pharmacotherapies for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Snehanjana Patra, Tania Pal Choudhury, Sanchari Barman

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Current drug research reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Snehanjana PatraAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Kolkata, India.
Tania Pal ChoudhuryAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Kolkata, India.
Sanchari BarmanAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Kolkata, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory auto-immune disorder chiefly described by synovitis followed by extra-articular manifestations of organ association such as pneumonia in addition to the clinical symptoms that cause long-term joint damage starting from the small joints and gradually progressing to the larger ones. Early diagnosis is considered a major improvement for the most desirable outcomes. Methotrexate (MTX), an antifolate, has been the gold standard therapy in use for over forty years as an anchor drug. This drug started out as an anti-cancer drug in large doses and is now in use to treat rheumatoid arthritis at very low doses. The treatments for rheumatoid arthritis aim to curb the swelling in the body and protect the joints from further damage. Recent research has seen an increase in the use of combination therapies with Methotrexate.

objectivesIn this paper, we present a summary of the current drug in use and its side effects, associated with RA. The paper gives an account of alternate modes of treatment that have been explored for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

conclusionInitially designed to inhibit the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase and treat various types of cancer, methotrexate found application as an anti-rheumatic drug in 1984 although suggestions for the same have been made since the 1950s. Since then, a substantial amount of clinical evidence has been obtained to clearly indicate the cytotoxic activity of the drug against the cells responsible for joint inflammation associated with RA. Thus, methotrexate is a clear choice when it comes to treating RA despite the advent of other lines of treatment being explored and implemented.

Indexed as

Antirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidMethotrexateAnimalsDrug Therapy, CombinationHumansAntirheumatic AgentsMethotrexatealternative treatments.DMARDshistorymethotrexatepharmacokineticsRheumatoid arthritis

Identifiers

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.