The article reviews the clinical and mechanism researches of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in recent two decades at home and abroad. The results indicate that acupuncture-moxibustion is conductive to RA with fewer adverse reactions for the patients

and improves joint function and quality of life to a certain extent. The therapeutic results of acupuncture-moxibustion result from the multi-target

multi-level collaborative effect on RA. In mechanism

the overall regulation of the neuro-immuno-endocrine system is involved. RA is attenuated through inhibiting inflammatory responses

regulating relevant signaling pathways

maintaining the balance of osteoblasts and articular cartilage

and adjusting the gene expression. Although some achievements have been obtained in clinical and mechanism researches

it still needs to deepen the mechanism research so as to promote the clinical application of acupuncture-moxibustion and provide the new approaches to its innovation and development.