p38 and arthritic symptoms

Hello everyone,
I was reading the articles this week and there was one I found particularly interesting. I liked the article CNS Can Control Arthritic Joint Inflammation and Destruction. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego tried a new approach to treating arthritic joint inflammation and destruction. The researchers believed the CNS is a controlling influence for the body and can regulate peripheral inflammation and immune responses. They used a very small amount of p38 inhibitor and administered it through a catheter implanted in the rats' spinal cord. The results showed a significantly decrease in inflammation in the joints when the enzyme was exclusively blocked in a highly restricted site and not in the whole body. TNF-alpha was also examined because it is thought to continue activating spinal p38 causing ongoing symptoms and destruction. When TNF-alpha was also inhibited symptoms of arthritis decreased. I found these results to be interesting. This might lead to some new treatments, or at least a new way of thinking. I went on the web and found a few clinical trials that have been performed and ones looking for participants. So it looks like they are moving forward.