Arnica Montana - Clinical Research

Arnica: The Science Behind the Relief

For centuries, Arnica montana has been used to relieve pain, swelling, and bruising. Modern research supports its topical use for inflammation, post-surgical recovery, and muscle soreness — with outcomes comparable to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in certain cases.

Clinical & Mechanistic Evidence

1. Clinical Trials, Potential Mechanisms, and Adverse Effects of Arnica as an Adjunct Medication for Pain Management
Smith AG, Miles VN, Holmes DT, Chen X, Lei W. 2022.
Review of multiple clinical trials showing Arnica extract and gels provide significant pain relief across arthritis, postoperative, and musculoskeletal pain conditions. Benefits are linked to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant phytochemicals.
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2. Effectiveness and Safety of Arnica montana in Post-Surgical Setting, Pain and Inflammation
Iannitti T, Morales-Medina JC, Bellavite P, Rottigni V, Palmieri B. 2016.
A comprehensive review concluding that Arnica montana is more effective than placebo for postoperative and post-traumatic pain and swelling, with fewer side effects than NSAIDs in some applications.
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3. The Effects of Topical Arnica on Performance, Pain and Muscle Damage After Intense Eccentric Exercise
Pumpa KL, Fallon KE, Bensoussan A, Papalia S. Eur J Sport Sci. 2014;14(8):806–814.
Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in trained males found that topical Arnica reduced muscle tenderness and perceived pain 72 hours after eccentric exercise, suggesting relief from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
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4. Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Arnica montana in a UVB Radiation-Induced Skin-Burn Model in Mice
Prade JS, Bálsamo EC, Machado FR, et al. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2020;203:111749.
Topical Arnica ointment significantly reduced UVB-induced skin inflammation and oxidative stress, lowering cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and increasing antioxidant defenses.
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5. Mud Pack With Menthol and Arnica Montana Accelerates Recovery Following a High-Volume Resistance Training Session
Bartolomei S, Nigro F, D’Amico A, Cortesi M, Di Michele R. J Strength Cond Res. 2022;36(7):1909–1915.
In resistance-trained men, mud packs containing menthol and Arnica improved strength recovery and reduced muscle soreness after high-volume training, showing synergistic benefit.
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6. Choosing Between NSAID and Arnica for Topical Treatment of Hand Osteoarthritis in a Randomised, Double-Blind Study
Widrig R, Suter A, Saller R, Melzer J. Rheumatol Int. 2007;27(7):585–591.
In 204 patients with hand osteoarthritis, topical Arnica gel (50 g tincture/100 g) was found not inferior to ibuprofen gel in reducing pain and improving hand function over 21 days, with similar safety profiles.
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