The root/rhizome of the American plant Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) is commonly used for treating joint pain, especially SI joint pain, lower back pain and knee pain. Chinese herbs such as Achyranthes bidentata/Huai Niu Xi, Drynaria fortunei/Gu Sui Bu and Teasel root/Dipsacus asper are all frequently used to treat low back back, as well as knee and ankle pain
Doctors use traditional Chinese Eucommia herb for joint pain, it is used to strengthen bones, tendons, and ligaments. Eucommia also helps heal tissues after injury. They contain a compound that promotes the development of collagen, an important part of the tissue.
Solomon’s Seal is the most useful remedy for treating injuries to the musculoskeletal system. ALSO USED to treat broken bones, sprains, injured tendons and ligaments, tendonitis, arthritis, dryness in joints and “slipped”/herniated discs (including mine – that sure did hurt…).
A plant that grows weed-like in parts of Indian and SE Asia, gotu kola is a useful herb for healing tissue, including skin, tendons and ligaments, as well as increasing venous circulation.
Boswellia: contains anti-inflammatory, which in turn reduces the risk of cartilage inflammation, reduces the feeling of knee pain, and increases the flexibility of flexion and movement
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, thanks to the fact that it contains curcumin, which helps to relieve pain, and help prevent stiffness of joints and cartilage, as turmeric is a useful herbs for cartilage health, but it is advised to take turmeric with black pepper to enhance the effectiveness of turmeric More
Every morning I take a drink that has ginger and turmeric in it. While they do not strengthen joints they do have anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce pain.
RG flagged me back here for some reason. Re-reading the question, I'm thinking:
1) Not an herb, but Mk-7 (a K2 vitamin) as significant osteoblast activity. I get mine from natto (add to any soup).
2) Anything dietary is possibly of very low value if in the absence of simultaneous resistance stress (i.e. some non-easy challenging resistance / resistance training). The body really isn't easily tricked into strengthening anything that doesn't, from actual life experience, actually _need_ to be strengthened. Full squats with a 10kg kettle, then the following week 15kg, then 20kg..., 25kg... THAT kind of thing is how the body knows to increase the blast to clast activity ratio for osteo, chron, etc.
I agree with all answers and especially Curcumin or the raw material, Turmeric. However, you have to take Turmeric or Curcumin extract with black pepper to increase the absorption of the material. Bear in mind, I think any natural product which act as anti-inflammatory can help joints health and pain.
The problem of many natural compounds is their availability and thus very low absorption through the intestinal mucosa. Many companies are now trying to create new formulations to enhance the bio-availability.