**1. Introduction**

Definitely, pain has been defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP, 1979) as an 'unpleasant sensory and emotional experience related to actual, potential, or described tissue damage by the patient' [1, 2]. Typically, it is triggered by noxious stimuli and transmitted *via* specialised neural networks to the central nervous system (CNS), where it is interpreted as such. It is also a way of protecting the body [3]. In this regard, pain and inflammation remain the most important and devastating health problems, affecting 80% of the world's population [4]. They are considered a major environmental health problem, affecting all countries. [5]. Further, untreated, persistent and prolonged pain is the most common problem, causing both physical damage and psychological distress [6]. Likewise, pain can be caused by a variety of factors, inclusive of injury, illness and psychological factors [3].

More to the point, the mechanisms of pain and inflammation, together with the modes of action of treatments, have shown to be numerous and complex. Some are still little known. Thus, treatments, classified into three levels (non-opioid, weak opioid and strong opioid), are often combined and provide relief for a large proportion of patients [7]. In this regard, analgesics or painkillers are designed to reduce or abolish painful sensations without causing loss of consciousness or suppressing other sensitivities [8]. Likewise, anti-inflammatory medicines are symptomatic drugs that do not act on the cause. They are indicated when inflammation, a normal process of defence against aggression, becomes bothersome, particularly because of pain [9]. In virtue of which, they are very widely used in a large number of diseases and more specifically in the presence of inflammation, the same as in rheumatology [3].

More and more, alternative therapies are unconventional methods of pain relief that do not involve drugs or surgery. Alternative therapies include acupuncture, massage therapy and chiropractic care. Hence, these therapies are often used in conjunction with traditional medical treatments [3]. Traditional medicine has strong cultural roots, with many plants used to treat pain. This ancestral knowledge can be regarded as a source of inspiration for finding numerous active ingredients and as a consequence enabling therapeutic innovation in the management of pain and inflammation [10].
