An arthritis medicine made from herbal substances was approved as a new natural medicine for the first time in the country. SK Chemical and SK Pharmaceuticals announced on July 12 that the ‘JOINS’, which is made from 3 herbal substances including Trichosanthes kirilowii for a treatment of arthritis, was approved by the Korean FDA (food and drug administration) for its marketing. This medicine is a mixture of Trichosanthes kirilowii, Prunella vulgaris, and Clematis mandshurica. It is the first new medicine in the country that has been approved for its effects as natural medicine after clinical trials. SK announced that symptoms of 75% patients out of 125 tested were improved after taking this medicine in the three-stage joint clinical tests at 5 hospitals including Seoul National University Hospital and Kangnam St. Mary’s Hospital. In particular, this medicine not only showed the same anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects as the existing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs such as diclofenac, but also showed almost no side effect such as gastrointestinal trouble that the existing anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs have. Also, this medicine was found to promote blood circulation and regulate the immune system moderately, and it shows the anti-oxidative effect, anti rhIL-1α effect and anti collagenase effect that inhibits the degenerative changes of joint cells. Therefore, it is expected to have a protective effect on the joint cartilage, in addition to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.From the Oriental Medical prospective, ‘JOINS’ is known to eliminate the causes of arthritis, such as palsy, cold and damp. SK had launched the development of the arthritis medicine based on herbal substances since 1993, and it invested about 6 billion won on its R&D. The domestic market for arthritis medicines is estimated to be approximately 300 billion won this year, and SK is expecting ‘JOINS’ to make a profit of 50 billion won yearly.