Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 6(22), pp.

3806-3809, 14 June, 2012

Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/JMPR
DOI: 10.5897/JMPR11.509
ISSN 1996-0875 ©2012 Academic Journals

Review

Efficacy of Unani medicine

Khalil Ahmed1, S. M. Ali1, M. Akram2*, H. M. Asif1 and Saeed Ahmed Pirzada1
1
Department of Conventional and Alternative Medicine, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur Pakistan.
2
Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Shifa Ul Mulk Memorial Hospital, Hamdard University Karachi, Pakistan.
Accepted 9 May, 2011

Unani medicines obtained from herbal sources are in great demand all over the world. They are famous
due to their efficacy and less side effects as compared to allopathic medicine. The diseases in which
Unani medicine have therapeutic value are chronic diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma
and gout. In this review, Unani medicine and its efficacy as well as previous research on Unani
medicine has been presented to provide clinical details as evidence based strategy.

Key words: Unani medicine, efficacy, previous research study.

INTRODUCTION

In recent times, focus on the research on medicinal
plants has increased considerably all over the world (Ali,
2008). A large amount of data on evidence based clinical
strategy has been collected to prove the efficacy of
medicinal plants (Usmanghani, 2005). Thus,
pharmacological and therapeutic research on medicinal
plants and then bioactive natural product represent a
major shift for the discovery and development of new
drugs. With over many centuries, practice of Unani
medicine would have remained under the dark of cultural
antiquity. Educational status was not upto date because
of out dated syllabi and contents. There is a lack of
government interest for the preparation of Unani,
homeopathic act, and due to this negligence no suitable
amount of budget was sanctioned for provision of Unani
medicine and Unani practioners. Up till the year 2000,
there were no single institute of Unani systems of
medicine in the public sector. Only 32 private and
government diploma colleges were serving and this
system were also not properly supervised. In ministry of
health, there is only one post of herbal practitioner with
designation of assistant director of health, Unani. Results
show that, government has not made a law for
manufacturing of Unani medicine; unavailability of
appropriate funds in government hospitals, lack of
graduate and post graduate Unani educational centers
*Corresponding author. E-mail: makram_0451@hotmail.com.
Tel: 92-021-6440083. Fax: 92-021-6440079.
and non representation in the ministry of health plague
this profession, unlike other medical systems that have
been provided suitable places in ministry of health and
law, and its implementation body in ministry of health,
ample numbers of educational centers. Due to these
conditions, allopathic system is introduced more in this
population. Allopathic system of medicine exert several
side effects, therefore, there is a need to supervise the
herbal and Unani system, to produce less side effects
and sustainable efficacy (Akram, 2010). The saying goes
that “man by dint of his senses” learns to express words
in writing. In this way, enormous time has elapsed under
the tunnel of time scale that the first clay like structure
was explored for increasing number of herbal materials
as medicine that were used by the ancient predecessor
of time (Lindsay, 2010).
UNANI FORMULATION AND EFFICACY
Given that the Unani medicine is formulated in powdery
form or aqueous or alcohol based extracts, it is a fact that
it will absorb more rapidly into the blood stream. Since
the human body is more than 85% water and since
proper cellular metabolism must occur in the fluid
medium. It has been reported that mother tincture and
hydroalcoholic extracts of commonly used medicinal
plants show potent effect while commercially available
product based on extracts show more efficacy in a short
duration of time (Shanwari, 2010). It may be due to
achieving the synergistic action of the group of

compounds. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect
of allopathic drug is superior, however, this occurs if the
drug in question is used after the therapy. The recurrence
of pain is again initiated. This relapse does not occur in
Unani medicine. Therefore, a mechanism has to be
explored. The arguments resulting from the fact that,
polypharmaceutical interaction may play a part in
inhibiting such biological responses are completely
abolished (Charles, 1967).
UNANI MEDICINE IN PAKISTAN
Unani-tibb is gaining momentum from the point of view of
its sphere of application and practice in Pakistan. It is
because of the fact that 70% of the population in Pakistan
depend on the Unani medicine and that evidence based
Unani therapy and herbal medicine have shown a very
good promise in healing acute diseases as well as
chronic diseases (Shahabuddin, 2006). Therefore, Unani
system of medicine has become one of the important
sources of health care throughout the country. Unani
medicine formulation usually consists of herbs, animals
and minerals, and Pakistan has intrinsic tradition in the
use of medicinal plants and herbs to ward off different
malaise (Hannan, 2006; Arshad, 2008).
SOME MEDICINAL COMPONENTS AND THEIR
SOURCES
Codeine was obtained from Papaver somniferum that is
commonly used for headache and insomnia. Atropa was
obtained from Atropa belladonna that has sympathetic
action in the body and dilates the pupils. Ephedrene was
obtained from Ephedra sinica that is usually used for
asthmatic conditions. Quinine was derived from Cinchona
species that is used for treatment of malaria. Colchicine
is obtained from Colchicum autumnale and has anti-
inflammatory effects in gouty arthritis (Jayaraj, 2010).
RESEARCH STUDY
Hyperuricemia
A study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic
effects of herbal coded formulation, gouticin in
comparison with allopathic medicine, allopurinol for
treatment of hyperuricemia. Total patients selected for
this study were one hundred. Fifty patients were treated
with herbal coded formulation, gouticin, and fifty were
treated with allopathic medicine, allopurinol. This study
was conducted at shifa ul Mulk Memorial Hospital,
Hamdard University, Karachi. Gouticin contains Apium
graveolens, Colchicum autumnale, Tribulus terrestris,
Withania somnifera, Smilax chinensis and Zingiber
Ahmed et al. 3807
officinale. This was a case control direct unicenter
prospective, randomized authentic allopathic controlled
two arm parallel group clinical trial. Duration of treatment
was 18 weeks. As a conclusion, it was found that
Gouticin is effective for treatment of hyperuricemia
(Akram et al, 2010).
Diabetes mellitus
A study was carried out in which an herbal coded
formulation, diabetin, was used for treatment of diabetes
mellitus. The response of medicine on hyperglycemia
was recorded and has been proved as good
hypoglycemic drug (Rais, 2009).
Rheumatoid arthritis
A study was carried out in which an herbal coded
formulation of arthritin was used for treatment of
rheumatoid arthritis. The response of medicine on
rheumatoid arthritis was recorded and has been proved
as good medicine of the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
drug (Owias, 2009).
Diarrhea
A study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic
effects of herbal coded formulation, dirasif in comparison
with allopathic medicine, furoxone for treatment of
Diarrhea. Total patients selected for this study were one
hundred. Fifty patients were treated with herbal coded
formulation dirasif and fifty were treated with allopathic
medicine, furoxone. This study was conducted at Shifa ul
Mulk Memorial Hospital, Hamdard University, Karachi.
Dirasif contains Aegle marmelos, Phyllanthus embelica,
Myrtus communis, Punica granatum and Berberis
vulgaris. This was a case control of direct unicenter,
prospective randomized, authentic allopathic controlled
two armed parallel group clinical trial. Duration of
treatment was two weeks. As a conclusion, it was found
that dirasif is effective for treatment of diarrhea (Asif et
al., 2010).
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and nicotinamide
adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase inhibitory
activity by some medicinal plants
A study was carried out to evaluate the inhibition of ACH
and NADH by some medicinal plants. These medicinal
plants were selected from those that have anti-
inflammatory and antioxidant effects. These plants are
usually used for treatment of various ailments in Unani
system of medicine, to enhance the memory, to maintain
3808 J. Med. Plants Res.
the cardiac enzymes and alziemer disease. In this study,
crude plant methanolic extracts 1 mg/ml were used
against crude enzymes obtained from chicken liver and
goat brain to evaluate the anticholinesterase and anti-
NADH oxidase activity. It was found that five plants have
more than fifty percent activity observed against both
enzymes. Inhibitory activity of Crocus stivus against
these enzymes was found. These plants may be
evaluated for further study as pure compound against
pure enzymes (Khalil, 2008).
Hyperlipidemia
A study was carried out in which an herbal coded
formulation of lipitame was given for the treatment of
hyperlipidemia. The response of medicine on
hyperlipidemia was recorded and proven to be a good
hypolipidemic drug (Sheraz, 2010).
Roundworms
A study was carried out in which an herbal coded
formulation of kemol was given for treatment of
roundworms. Kemol was prescribed to fifty patients.
Kemol contains Mentha arvensis and Embelia ribes. The
response of medicine on symptomatology of round worm
infestation was recorded proven to be an effective
antihelmintic drug (Ibrahim et al, 2010).
Scabies
A study was carried out in which an herbal coded
formulation of scaneem was applied for treatment of
scabies. It has been proven to be a good anti scabies
drug. Scaneem was prescribed to patients suffering from
scabies. The response of medicine on scabies was
recorded and has been proven to be a good and efficient
drug (Sultan, 2009).
DISCUSSION
The word medicine is defined as the science and art of
healing. Other prefixes used are medicaments or remedy
or a therapeutic substance to ward off malaise or
otherwise deal with the treatment of diseases or therapy.
Thus, traditional medicine, since antiquity has utilized
plants or animals and their parts as well as minerals to
cure and prevent diseases and promote health. From
ancient time till today, many centuries have passed by
and the state of art and science of traditional medicine
have gone through the wind tunnel of hard time. A
reflection on what has been achieved thus far is the
growth of experimental evidence based evolvement of
chemical and synthetic medicine which was vigorously
and clinically tested as evidence based medicine (Ali and
Qaiser, 1986). Thus, allopathic has been formally
established as a fast acting molecule generating quick
interaction to alter the biological, psychological, and
pharmacological responses in the body system to regain
health.
All this were created to motivate and apply these
molecules through parenteral route as a paradigm shift
for the quick relief in emergency cases. This remarkable
success brought the medicine to the forefront of health
phenomenon linked strongly with the 18 and 19th
century, and over powered all the rest of informal
therapies, including the traditional medicine. The
development of allopathy, in fact, is an extended
extension of traditional materia medica which was
progressively partitioned from the extract to pure
molecule with the advent of chromatographic analysis
and spectrophotometric characterization, and therefore,
these molecules were synthesized as designer molecule
to target the diseases (Naveed, 2011). Thus, synthetic
drugs played a significant role from an economic point of
view where few milligram of quantity is sufficient to cure
and prevent illness, thus large size population will require
a few kilogram of pure material. With the last fifty years,
the adverse effects of synthetic and chemical medicine
surfaced in the literature and document circle. In addition,
the higher costs of the drugs prevented the larger
segment of population not to be able to have the access
of such type of medical treatment. Therefore, the World
Health Organization (WHO) came with the new idea to
use traditional and herbal medicine for the treatment and
cure of all the population of humans on the face of this
earth. An additional contribution to the healthy way of life
from the use of promotive medicine is that it has
extended the aging process where longevity is the
dominant factor in affluent and less affluent societies of
the world.
Naturally, synthetic and chemical medicines due to
their intense pharmacological and physiological reactions
are a harsher type of medicine (Jeanne, 2006).
Therefore, a strategy of soft medicine which is based on
traditional medicine resurfaced among the dosage
regimen for treating patients. All this opened a door once
again in the middle of 19th century. But this brought back
demands to renew clinical efforts and endeavors
adhering to the street compliance of science and
technology development. Therefore, traditional medicine
development and strategy in the 21st century is to be
envisioned once again. The traditional medicinal clinic
operators should learn a lesson from the period gone by
that there is no chance of repeating the mistakes of the
past where experimental and clinical practice are
available. Knowledge of science and technology has to
be acknowledged for the greater acceptance of traditional
medicine with in the fold of all the relative functionaries
(Charlie et al., 2003).

CONCLUSION
Unani medicine has been used since centuries in all over
the world. It has been proven effective for treatment of
various diseases including hyperuricemia, hyperlipidemia,
scabies, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
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