Exploring Traditional Formulations in Unani Medicine: A Comprehensive Review                                                           

Kamil Hafiz Anees Ahmed Quazi*, Dr. Majaz Quazi, Wasil Jalees Quazi,

Dr. G. J. Khan.

J.I.I.U’S Ali-Allana College of Pharmacy Akkalkuwa, Dist- Nandurbar (425415) Maharashtra, India. *Correspondence: quazikamil@gmail.com ; Tel.: (7057517747)

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, traditional medical systems including Unani,    Ayurveda, Siddha, Homoeopathy, Naturopathy, etc. have. gained more and more popularity. The traditional medical systems have always been crucial in providing for the demands of health care worldwide. According to estimates from the World Health Organisation (WHO), 80 percent of people worldwide utilise herbal therapy for some medical condition. [1]

  The term "Unani" is derived from the Greek word "Ionion," which signifies "Greek." The Greek philosopher Hippocrates (460–377 BC) and his associates are also responsible for the development of Unani medicine, just as they are for Western medicine. Hippocrates' philosophy placed a strong emphasis on the fact that the human body is an integrated, whole system. His approach to healing was broad in scope and did not focus on particular clusters of symptoms. He investigated the links between the occurrence of sickness and variables such the environment, water, clothes, nutrition, and eating and drinking habits. Additionally, he refuted the aspects of magic and superstition that had previously dominated those times' therapeutic notions. As a result, he turned the primitive medical knowledge of the period into an empirically based discipline. [2]

 Along with other conventional medical systems, the Unani system of medicine has long been a favourite in the nations of South Asia. Both Ayurvedic and Unani medical schools and hospitals are currently supported and subsidised by the Indian government But unlike Ayurveda, which has seen a tremendous rise in popularity, Unani Medicine has lagged behind, presumably as a result of its minority Islamic connotations. [3]

 The Unani system has significant faith in nature's ability to heal. According to this theory, disease only exists when the fundamental body parts are out of balance and in perfect harmony with one another. The philosophical foundation of Hippocrates serves as the foundation for unani medicine.

 The notion of Tabiat (madicatrix naturae) is what makes unani medicine unique. Galen described tabiat as the capacity of the body that, by bringing about the necessary adjustments, opposes and resists every deviation from the natural state of the body. in some ways comparable to the idea of "immunity". A set of fundamental rules known as Umoore Tabiyah govern modern medical science. These rules include: (1) Arkan (substances), (2) Mizaj (temperament), (3) Akhlat (humours), (4) Rooh (vital spirit or pneuma), (5) Tabiat (potential for maintaining equilibrium), (6) A'aza (organs), and (7) Afaal (functions).                           

 Health is regarded in Unani medicine as a state when the body’s humours are in balance and its activities are regular. Six fundamental components make up good health: 1. Air; 2. Liquids; and 3. Food 3. Sleep and vigilance Retention and excretion 5. Exercise and relaxation 6. Rest and mental activity. This hypothesis shares some indirect similarities with the widely accepted concept of health as a condition of mental, bodily, and social wholeness. The homeostasis of the body, which is dependent on the balance of the four humours, is addressed by unani medicine. Disturbances in six important factors, including atmospheric air, diet, sleep and wakefulness, excretion and retention, mobility, and psychological condition, will result in sickness. The key to treatment is comprehending these ideas in order to identify the problem. As a result, the foundational ideas found in the oldest classical works on Unani medicine serve as the basis for practical science. [4]

·         PHARMACEUTICS

 The Unani System of Medicine recommends complex medication formulation or pharmaceutical processing to increase medicinal efficacy and safety and to achieve drug stability, palatability, absorption, and assimilation. These goals are accomplished not only by creating a variety of dose forms based on analytical and experimental research, but also by creating a variety of processing methods (Tadabir). Both single (single component) preparations and compound (multiple ingredient) preparations are subject to this pharmaceutical procedure, with the latter type being the majority. Additionally, it has the unusual specialty of including Corrective Drugs (Muslih Adwiya) to lessen the toxicity of the primary drug. Most unani drugs are produced using traditional methods. The making of pharmaceuticals involves the use of contemporary equipment. The dosage forms may occasionally change somewhat, but care is taken to stay true to the original formulation. Two different drug types are created and marketed by the unani drug industry: (i) traditional unani formulations and (ii) patent and proprietary goods. Good Manufacturing Practises are followed to guarantee that the quality of these medications is controlled.

·         Types of Unani formulations :

 The dosage forms were created with the goal of achieving all of the fundamental goals of pharmaceutical processing, including palatability, assimilability, stability, and the improvement of safety and efficacy.

  Drugs are primarily employed in four different forms in the Unani System of Medicine: solid, semi-solid, liquid, and vapour. Pill (Habb), Tablet (Qurs), Powder (Safuf), and other solid dosage forms are available. Semi-solid dosage forms include Jawarish, Ma’jun, Khamira, La’uq, itrifal, and others.Decoction (Joshanda), infusion (Khīsānda ), distillate (‘Arq), syrup (Sharbat), drops (Qatūr), etc. are examples of liquid medication formulations. Fumigation (Bakhūr ), steam inhalation (Inkibāb ), fragrances or perfumes, Lakhlakha, and other vapour dosage forms are examples. In addition to oral medication, Unani doctors may also administer medication by enema (Ḥuqna ), Sitz bath (abzan), pessary (Firzaja), suppository (Shiyāf), liniment (tila’), and other methods. [6]

·         Solid dosage form :

Pills (Habb) :

 Habb or pills are small, spherical, solid dose forms that are meant to be used orally and contain a therapeutic substance. Historically, pills have been the most common oral dose form. This route of administration can be used for substances that are bitter or unpleasant to taste but are not corrosive or deliquescent. According to the Unani method, habb is a dosage form in which the dried medicine is powdered and combined with water or a liquid to create a suitable dough-like mass. From this mass, spherical-shaped unit dosage forms are made that may be of various sizes, such as pea, gramme, black pepper, and moong. The name of this spherical unit dose form is Huboob (Habb).

 In the past, the neighbourhood chemist would improvise tablets or habb, developing a skill that eventually became an art. However, only a small percentage of the tablets used today in pharmacies are made on a big scale using machinery. The primary reason for the introduction of the pill formulae was to provide standards for strength. Standardisation is a key instrument in the quality control process as a result. Only if the herbal items are examined and analysed utilising advanced modern standardisation techniques can this be accomplished.

Synonyms of Habb :

Latin, Pilula or piliol; Arabic, Habb; Urdu, Goli; Hindi, Goli; English, Pill [6]

Tablet(Qurs)

 Due to its simple mobility for extended use, stability, and dose precision, among other factors, the Qurs (tablet) is one of the most suitable/practical oral unit dosage forms. Physiochemical parameters for Qurse Tabasheer (QT) were therefore examined in the current study.

  The study's chosen formulation is produced and used often by unani pharmacies. It has six components, Tabasheer (Siliceous concretions) (Bambosa arundinaceae Retz.), Gule Surkh (Rosa damascena Mill. flower), Gulnar (Punica granatum Linn. flower), Tukhme kahu (Lactuca satisva Linn. seeds), Tukhme khurfa (Portulaca oleraceae Linn. seeds), and Gile Armani (Armenian bole).This specific recipe is stated in Kitabul Murakkabat Al Maroof Makhzanul Murakkabat and Bayaaze Kabeer. Dhayabitus (diabetes), Hummae Hadda (acute fever), and Is'hal (diarrhoea) are all cond’tions it is used to treat. Additionally, this formulation’s pharmacological activity as a hypoglycaemic has been reported[4], and quality control criteria need to be developed for it. [7]

Safoof (powder) :

 Different medications are frequently made in various metallic utensils in unani medicine. To prevent coming into contact with metal directly and subsequently becoming poisoned by it, these implements require periodic cleaning and die-casting. To increase drug efficacy, metallic "Magical Bowls" are frequently utilised during drug delivery.

  Making compounded powder (Safoof) of pharmaceutical items as fine as feasible is equally important. Safoof, which is a solid material that has been finely divided, is used to make a variety of medications, including Majun, Khamira, Jawarish, Sharbat, and Hab.Hawan Dasta (Hand-grinder), Sil Batta (Grindstone), and Kharal (Mortar and Pestle) are the tools used to create medicine powder. Different materials, including stone, quartz, wood, iron, brass, steel, and porcelain, are used to make mortar and pestles. Sang Simaq (Simaq Stone), Sang Khara (Granite Stone), Sang Siyah (Black Stone), Sang Marmar (Marble Stone), and Sang Yashab (Jasper S tone) are a few examples of stones that can be either hard or soft in nature [8]

·         Semi-solid dosage form

Jawarish :

 The Persian word gowaresh, which signifies digestion, is where the name jawarish comes from. It is a 14 traditional semisolid medicinal dose form that is referred to as a “majoon” (confection or electuary). Majoon Is created from components that have been ground into a specific consistency with sugar or honey solutions. Gastrointestinal conditions can be treated using Jawarish. Astringent, visceral analgesic, anti-haemorrhagic, antiemetic, emetic, anti-reflux, and anti-colic were only a few of the gastro-intestinal therapeutic actions they were thought to have based on their constituents. Some of them also have aphrodisiac, analgesic, hepatic, cardiac, and brain tonic properties in addition to their effects on the gastrointestinal tract.

 It varies from Majoon by having superior flavour and ingredient aroma. The constituents of these formulations should be pulverised in a coarse particle size to ensure their longer stay in the stomach to operate as a slow gastric tonic and a digestive treatment, according to the classic medical textbooks. When dried, Jawarish has a thicker consistency than Majoon and can be split into pieces by hand. For better patient use, it is suggested in a few Qarabadin texts that the formulation be flattened and cut into cubes.  In Table, a few Jawarish formulations are summarised. [9]

Khamira:

 The synergistic interaction of several ingredients results in the therapeutic effects of herbal medicine. Khamira is one of these semisolid Unani poly-herbal pharmaceutical preparations. It is a form of Majun and is created by decocting one or more herbs with white sugar. It also serves as a tonic for the heart and brain. The modern Tabibs are the ones who created khamira. The nobles preferred to avoid bitter medicines during the Mughal era, but appealing medications like the Khamira—which are distinguished by both their palatability and alluring odor—came into fashion.

 The term "Khamirah" In the Unani System of Medicine refers to a fermented confection that was first used by the Hukama (physicians) of the Mughal period. In addition to herbal ingredients, animal and mineral origin drugs are also combined in this semi-solid preparation, either by preparing a solution in water or as a fine powder. It is utilised for heart conditions as well as Wabaie Amarz (Epidemic Diseases) like dengue, swine flu, and so on. Other Wabaie Amarz (Epidemic Diseases) include judri (chicken pox), hasba (measles), tao’on (plague), and zof-e-qalb (heart weakness). Other essential organs like the liver and the brain, such as the kabid (liver), are also treated with khamirahjat as general tonics.An in-depth analysis of this old work on Khamirah is especially important in light of the rising prevalence of heart disorders. Khamirah has antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects, according to some studies. [10]

Majoon:

 With its effective medicines made from animal, plant, and mineral resources, the Unani System of Medicine is one of the oldest medical systems still in use today.

 Majoon, a compound medicine with a long history of use and a solid reputation, is often administered to older people to combat the effects of ageing. Elixir of life, or Madaat-ul-Hayaat, was its original name. This electuary, which is processed in a semisolid form, is made specifically for individuals who are involved in mental work.This chemical concoction is utilised as a sexual tonic, liver tonic, heart tonic, tonic for the gall bladder and kidneys, according to various Unani Qarabadeen (Pharmacopoeias). Additionally, it is employed as an aphrodisiac, stomachic, digestive, and appetiser. It Is administered to the elderly as a general tonic, to treat polyarthralgias, and to treat dementia caused by advancing age.

Qiwam (base) of various consistencies (tar) is often created for the manufacture of Majoon or any of its related preparations. It depends on the makeup of the medications being utilised. The Qiwam is typically created by mixing purified honey, sugar, candy, or jiggery with Aab (water), Araq (distillate), or Aab e samar (fruit juices), etc., then boiling the mixture over a low fire until it reaches the desired consistency. Prior to creating Qiwam, the bases are typically cleansed by adding Aab e lemu (lemon juice), Satt e lemu (lemon extract), or Shibbe yamani (Alum). The ingredients are then combined in a qiwam to make Majoon [1]23

·         Liquid dosage form:

Sharbat:

 White sugar, misri, honey, and gur that have been dissolved in water are the ingredients of the soft drink or alcoholic beverage known as sharbat (English: sherbet). Sharbat, on the other hand, refers to a concentrated liquor created from fruit juices or decoctions and sugar to produce a qiwam in the Greco-Arab pharmacopoeia. Making sharbat (syrup) involves boiling fruit juice with sugar until it reaches the desired consistency, or making a decoction or infusion of the medication ingredients.

 Pythagoras, a mathematician and philosopher from ancient Greece, is credited for creating Sharbat. Sharbat stands out for having a sweet flavour and good palatability. Since most herbs are quite unpleasant when consumed raw, the invention of the Sharbat dosage form was motivated by this reality. Sharbat dosage form was created in the Unani system of medicine (USM) in order to improve palatability and extend the time that medicines may be stored.

 In the present day, syrup is the counterpart of Sharbat. Syrups are potent, viscous, watery solutions of sugar substitute that may or may not also contain flavours and prescription medications. The syrup is used to reduce throat tickling and irritation, cure sore throats and coughs, loosen phlegm, promote expectoration, and heal and soothe the lungs and throat. [13]

·         Rogan (oil) :

 Musculoskeletal issues are among the most prevalent ailments in both the general population and medical settings. Two out of every three persons over the age of 50 report having musculoskeletal pain. With a prevalence of 22% to 39% in India, osteoarthritis is the most prevalent kind of arthritis and the leading cause of peripheral joint pain in people.

 Different treatment plans are available in Unani medicine for musculoskeletal diseases and joint discomfort. Since ancient times, many potent oral and topically applied formulas for the treatment of pain have been popular in Unani and other indigenous medical systems. The need for and difficulty in finding a potent, economical, and generally safe formulation persist.

Numerous Unani medicines contain oils as a significant component, especially for topical applications. Along with its many medical and pharmaceutical uses, it also controls and lessens the allergic reactions caused by irritants in the formulation because of its calming qualities and moisturising properties. It stands out from other vegetable oils due to its great nutritional and medicinal qualities. Sesame may provide anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, anti-hypersensitive, and anti-immunoregulatory health effects.

 Roghan (oil) is a novel topical formulation (mixture of oils), recommended by an Eminent Hakim for the management of joint pain .It is Very economical, effective and traditionally being used in Alleviating arthralgia and other musculoskeletal disorders. [14]

CONCLUSION:

The conclusion is that remarkable expansion in the Unani system. Unani medicines have demonstrated its promise and the need for more effective medications and treatments for a range of illnesses. In numerous oral illnesses, the Unani medications documented in classical literature have demonstrated encouraging outcomes as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-ulcerative medicines. Additionally, the majority of medications have dual functions that are preventive as well as curative. The Unani medical system focuses on maintaining the body's homeostasis, which is dependent on the four humours and temperaments being in balance with each other and with six other key components.factors like the quality of the air, food, sleep patterns, mobility, excretion and retention, and psychological state will all contribute to the illness.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

We are thankful to the Principal and Management of JIIU’s Ali-Allana College of Pharmacy  Akkalkuwa,Dist- Nandurbar for providing moral support and necessary facilities during completion of this work.

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