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Evidence by topic

How has photobiomodulation been studied in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases?

17 papers. Randomized human trials: 1. Controlled human studies, including unspecified allocation: 2. Human studies without a control group: 4. Reviews and literature analyses: 5. Animal studies: 4. Cell studies: 1.

Publication dates from 1 January 2025 to 29 October 2026. Titles and abstracts were searched for photobiomodulation together with autoimmunity, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease or colitis.

Checked 2026-10-29 · 24 records searched

Randomized human trials1

  1. 60 patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis were randomized to active or sham photobiomodulation alongside levothyroxine, twice weekly for 3 weeks; fatigue, sleep and behavioral scales were assessed before and at 3 months.

    Lasers Med Sci · 2026 · PMID 41910812

    DOI 10.1007/s10103-026-04864-xRecord and abstractFree full text

Controlled human studies, including unspecified allocation2

  1. 50 previously untreated euthyroid women with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis entered a nonrandomized open comparison of thyroid photobiomodulation (25) and selenium plus vitamin D (25); glutathione, thyroid tests and thyroid volume were assessed before, after and 3 months after the intervention.

    Antioxidants (Basel) · 2026 · PMID 42792144

    DOI 10.3390/antiox15091105Record and abstractFree full text

  2. 98 women with Hashimoto thyroiditis entered a 12 month comparison of photobiomodulation plus supplements versus supplements; 820 nm light was used twice weekly for 3 weeks and 97 completed follow up. Random allocation is not reported in the abstract.

    Biomedicines · 2025 · PMID 40722630

    DOI 10.3390/biomedicines13071555Record and abstractFree full text

Human studies without a control group4

  1. A case report of 1 girl aged 17 with Sjögren syndrome receiving 15 infrared diode laser sessions over the major salivary glands; salivary flow and dry mouth questionnaires were assessed through 6 months after the final session.

    Lasers Surg Med · 2025 · PMID 40785030

    DOI 10.1002/lsm.70053Record and abstract

  2. A case report of 1 woman with Sjögren disease receiving local photobiomodulation and oral care products after salivary gland biopsy, followed by a 5 week protocol involving intraoral, extraoral, salivary gland and lymph node irradiation with salivary measurements.

    J Med Case Rep · 2026 · PMID 41866508

    DOI 10.1186/s13256-026-05931-1Record and abstractFree full text

  3. A case report of 1 man aged 37 with vitiligo receiving 308 nm excimer light together with 635 nm red light, with pigmentation observed over 3 months.

    Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg · 2026 · PMID 41420458

    DOI 10.1177/25785478251405610Record and abstract

  4. A case report of 1 man aged 23 with Crohn disease and a major tongue aphthous ulcer receiving photobiomodulation together with triamcinolone oral paste.

    Medicine (Baltimore) · 2025 · PMID 40696693

    DOI 10.1097/md.0000000000043336Record and abstractFree full text

Reviews and literature analyses5

  1. A PubMed literature review of LED photobiomodulation in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, organizing cell and animal studies by exposure parameters and study type. The abstract does not report the number of included papers or total participants.

    Photochem Photobiol · 2026 · PMID 41630443

    DOI 10.1111/php.70077Record and abstractFree full text

  2. A systematic search and narrative synthesis of 6 human photobiomodulation studies in chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, published from 2010 to 2025. Total participant count is not reported in the abstract.

    Int J Mol Sci · 2026 · PMID 41977196

    DOI 10.3390/ijms27073007Record and abstractFree full text

  3. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 randomized and nonrandomized trials comparing photobiomodulation with pharmacological interventions for oral lichen planus, covering pain, lesions and recurrence. Total participant count is not reported in the abstract.

    J Clin Exp Dent · 2026 · PMID 42542826

    DOI 10.4317/jced.63975Record and abstractFree full text

  4. A comprehensive literature review of photobiomodulation in immune related conditions, covering macrophages, T cells, dendritic cells and exposure parameters. The abstract does not report the number of included papers or total participants.

    Lasers Med Sci · 2025 · PMID 40214677

    DOI 10.1007/s10103-025-04417-8Record and abstractFree full text

  5. A methodological analysis of 27 LED studies in skin conditions including psoriasis, examining dose, wavelength, blinding and controls. Individual studies enrolled 14 to 105 participants; their combined total is not reported in the abstract.

    PLoS One · 2025 · PMID 41032498

    DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0332995Record and abstractFree full text

Animal studies4

  1. 64 male Wistar rats were allocated to 8 groups comparing induced rheumatoid arthritis, resistance exercise and photobiomodulation combinations; popliteal lymph node tissue was assessed during a 7 day acute inflammatory period.

    Einstein (Sao Paulo) · 2026 · PMID 42561259

    DOI 10.31744/einstein_journal/2026ao2060Record and abstractFree full text

  2. Mice with DSS induced colitis received 830 nm LED exposure from four abdominal directions; histology, immune markers, gene expression and gut microbiota were analyzed. Sample size is not reported in the abstract.

    J Photochem Photobiol B · 2026 · PMID 41406635

    DOI 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2025.113330Record and abstract

  3. Rats with collagen and adjuvant induced arthritis received 808 nm photobiomodulation three times weekly; knee cartilage, inflammatory markers and mechanical sensitivity were examined at 7 and 14 days. Sample size is not reported in the abstract.

    Lasers Med Sci · 2025 · PMID 40591042

    DOI 10.1007/s10103-025-04557-xRecord and abstract

  4. 48 male rats were randomized to 6 groups comparing induced arthritis with photobiomodulation at 36, 54 or 72 J/cm², methotrexate and control conditions; paw thickness and biochemical markers were measured.

    Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg · 2026 · PMID 41099830

    DOI 10.1177/25785478251385780Record and abstract

Cell studies1

  1. Caco-2 cells cocultured with Lactobacillus received LPS followed by one exposure at 405, 532, 635 or 808 nm at 10 J/cm²; inflammatory markers, signaling proteins and gene expression were compared. Independent replicate count is not reported in the abstract.

    J Photochem Photobiol B · 2025 · PMID 40543454

    DOI 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2025.113201Record and abstract

7 of 24 records excluded: an ocular case without autoimmune disease (1), bibliometrics on medication related jaw osteonecrosis (1), a general overview mixing photobiomodulation with other light interventions (1), a bacterial infection case rather than the autoimmune condition (1), a conceptual discussion without condition specific methods or samples (1), a hair loss overview without distinct autoimmune photobiomodulation studies (1), photodynamic therapy rather than photobiomodulation (1).

View the search query

(TITLE_ABS:photobiomodulation OR TITLE_ABS:"low level laser" OR TITLE_ABS:"red light therapy") AND (TITLE_ABS:autoimmune OR TITLE_ABS:"rheumatoid arthritis" OR TITLE_ABS:psoriasis OR TITLE_ABS:"inflammatory bowel" OR TITLE_ABS:colitis) AND FIRST_PDATE:[2025-01-01 TO 2026-10-29] AND (SRC:MED OR SRC:PMC)

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Frequently asked questions

How are human and animal studies separated?

Groups follow the participants and allocation described in each abstract. Comparative studies without explicit random allocation are not listed as randomized trials.

Are all light interventions treated alike?

No. Photodynamic interventions using a photosensitizer were excluded. Wavelengths and accompanying interventions are described separately in the entries.

Does the paper count equal the participant count?

No. Papers and participants are different units. Reviews may include the same primary studies, so participant counts are not summed across entries.