We have successfully developed Fengshi Xiandan ([symbol: see text]) and used it to treat 53 cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with indomethacin used to treat another 53 cases of RA as the controls. The results showed that the rate of cure and obvious effect was 54.7% and the total effective rate was 92.4% in the treatment group, as compared to 26.4% and 66.0% respectively in the control group, with an obvious difference in curative effect between the two groups (P < 0.01). The improvement of all the main clinical symptoms and signs except arthralgia in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The improvement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reaction protein (CRP), immunoglobulin (Ig), T-lymphocyte subgroups, micro-circulation in nail fold, and red blood cell (RBC) and hemoglobin (Hb) of anemia patients in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). There was an obvious difference (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) in superoxide dismutase (SOD) of RBC and lipid peroxide (LPO) of plasma before treatment in the two groups as compared to normal group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The level of SOD and LPO after treatment in the treatment group obviously tended to normal as compared to that before treatment (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The reduction of LPO in the treatment group was obviously superior to that in the control group (P < 0.01). The result shows that Fengshi Xiandan ([symbol: see text]) with an obvious curative effect on RA can not only control the symptoms of RA but also improve its pathologic damage and prevent its development.