TNF-α inhibitors and rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease with inflammatory manifestations in the peripheral joints. The lack of an effective and safe treatment for RA is a major problem in modern medicine. The proinflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor a (TNF-α) is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA and the use of anti-TNF-α agents as a strategy for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including RA, has become a competitive area. This review will cover the use of phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors and some small molecule inhibitors of TNF-α and their potential use in RA.