REVIEW OF THE TRADITIONAL USES, PHYTOCHEMISTRY, TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF FENUGREEK (TRIGONELLA FOENUM-GRAECUM L.): AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT IN UNANI MEDICINE

Background: Trigonella foenum-graecum L. with common name fenugreek, is a very popular spice as well as an important herb of traditional Unani medicine. It is one of the most promising herbs having nutritional as well as medicinal value, used for the treatment of an extensive range of ailments. Objective: The aim ofthe review isto present the traditional uses, phytochemistry, toxicology in the light of Unani medicine as well as contemporary researchesto comprehend itsimportance. Methods: The literature was collected from classical Unani textssuch as Khazain al-Advia, Makhzan al-Advia, Muhit-i-Azam, Al-Jami li Mufradat al- Advia wa'l Aghziya, Al Qanoon Fit Tib etc., and scientific data from published experimental and clinical studies were searched from search engines like Scopus, Web of science, Embase, Google scholar, Pub Med etc. Results: Phytochemical studies have led to the isolation of different compounds such as alkaloid, flavonoids, saponin, volatile contents, gum and fibre. Fresh plant ingredients such as seed, leaves etc, crude extracts and isolated constituents of fenugreek showed a wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo studies that embrace its hypoglycaemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities. Conclusion: With its vast mode of action, it influences in multiple ways in treatment of the diseases and the present review revealed its therapeutic potential and status. For future research prospects, the need of further studies involving mechanisms of action on scientific parameters is essential.

WARAM-I MEDA (GASTRITIS) AND ITS MANAGEMENT FROM UNANI PERSPECTIVE

In the present scenario, gastritis still remains a major public health problem that affects the population of both the developed as well as developing countries. More than 50% of the population in developing countries suffers from gastritis, whereas 34.7 % of the population in developed countries had health problems due to gastritis. Main causes of gastritis are infections, stress, continuous use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol and bile reflux. Gastritis if remains untreated or undiagnosed causes Quruh-i Meda (gastric ulcers). Prolonged and progressive inflammation results in destruction of gastric mucosa (Atrophic gastritis) and reduction in gastric acid secretions. These two factors are considered as the main risk factors in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. Unani physicians have given much importance to this disease. In Unani system of medicine, there is elaborated description of gastritis under the heading of Waram-i Meda with causes, symptoms and its effective management. The fundamental principles of Unani treatment of gastritis is to restore the normalcy of the patient, correction of temperament (Mizaj ), humoral balance in the organ and the body, and toning up of the stomach. All these principles are achieved mostly by three modes of treatment i.e. Iaj bil Tadbeer (Regimenal therapy), Ilaj bil Ghiza (Dietotherapy) and Ilaj bil Dawa (Pharmacotherapy). In this review article, Waram-i Meda (gastritis) is elaborated with its type, causes and treatment in Unani perspective with the objective to reduce the burden of gastritis and prevention of complications associated with gastritis.

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND PHYSIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON AERIAL PART OF ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM LINN. FOUND IN KASHMIR

This studyis aimed to evaluate the physicochemical, macroscopic, microscopic and preliminary phytochemical studies of the aerial part of Achillea millefolium L., belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is a perennial herb and is distributed throughout the worldandis native to western Asia and Europe but is also found abundantly in most temperate regions including North America (Anne et al., 2006). Western Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumaon (6000-9000 feet above sea level), also serve as a good source for its production. The plant possesses many important phyto-chemicalslike sesquiterpenes, phenolic compounds, essential oils, etc. The plant has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifungal, antitumor, antiseptic, spasmolytic and hemostatic properties. As there is no detailed standardization work reported on aerial part of Achillea millefolium L., the objective of this study was to work out the physicochemical parameters, macroscopic and microscopic study and preliminary phytochemical constants. The study revealed specific identities for the crude drug which will be useful in identification and to check the adulteration of the raw drug.

A SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF PERCEPTIONS AND PATTERNS OF CONTRACEPTIVE (MANAE-HAMAL TADABEER) USAGE AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN WESTERN MAHARASHTRA

Background:Although all parts of the world have seen a huge increase in contraceptive usage, at least 200 million women still currently lack access to modern contraceptives(Manae-hamaltadabeer). Today about 53.4% eligible couples are still unprotected against conception. Successful fertility control leads to many social and economic advantages for women from educational attainment, personal autonomy to relationship stability and satisfaction. Material and Method:A cross-sectional study was carried out from Jan 2018 to Jan 2019 to analyse the awareness, perceptions and various patterns of contraceptives usage among 1000 women of reproductive age in western Maharashtra. Observation and Result:Data were collected from 1000 women participants. 266 (26.6%) belong to the age group of 25-29 years of age and Mean age of women was 32.78 years with SD + 7.58 yrs. 100% Awareness was observed whilemajority of 622 (62.2%) use contraceptive methods. About 226 (22.6%) preferred Condom.There was a significant association between age 2 2 2 (X =49.37, p=0.0001), educational status (X =439.46, p=0.0001),Socio Economic Status (X =72.1311, P=0.000),family 2 2 Type (X =14.44, p=0.001) and Parity (X =55.79, p=0.00001) with the knowledge scores.There was significant association 2 2 between preference of contraceptive methods scores and the age (X =104.32, p=0.000), Education (X =99.97, p=0.000), SES 2 2 (X =77.953, p=0.000) and parity (X =65.50, p=0.000). Conclusion:Despite 100% awareness and favourable attitude, significant number of reproductive age women did not use contraceptive methods due to various reasons. This study shows the association between socio-demographic variables and family planning acceptance ratio.

EVALUATION OF IN-VITRO ACTIVITY OF AERIAL PART OF BARANJASIF (Achillea millefolium Linn.) EXTRACTS

Hasah al-Kulya (renal calculi) is one of the leading problems affecting kidney. Recurrence of kidney stone formation is approximately 50%, after 2-3 years of recovery. This makes the prevention of its recurrence an essential problem to address. Despite substantial progress in medical therapy, there is no drug with satisfactory effect. Furthermore, the drugs those are being used for its treatment have many side effects. Baranjasif (Achillea millefolium Linn.) is one of the drugs used in Unani Medicine that has been extensively used for the management of urolithiasis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the lithotriptic action of Baranjasif in-vitro. In this study, calcium oxalate stones were prepared experimentally followed by the preparation of semipermeable membrane by dissolving the outer shell of egg in 2M HCl overnight. Calcium oxalate stones weighing 10mg were then allowed to react with 7 extracts of A. millefolium L. viz, Pet-ether, Chloroform, Ethyl Acetate, Methanol, Acetone, Hydro-alcohol and Aqueous by packing them together in semipermeable membrane. The reaction was performed on three different concentrations of each extract i.e., 50 mg, 100 mg and 150 mg. In addition to 7 groups, two more groups were taken, i) a negative group containing only the stone of weight 10 mg and ii) standard group consisting of stone weighing 10 mg and cystone (in concentrations of 50 mg, 100 mg and 150 mg). Statistical methods like mean standard deviation, percentage dissolution, percentage inhibition, IC and Pearson's correlation were applied to understand the extent of dissolution of stones 50 in each group. The study advocates that Baranjasif reveals lithotriptic activity comparable to standard drug. The efficacy of the drug is directly proportional to its concentration. Ethyl acetate extract of the plant showed the most promising results.

A SIMPLIFIED LITERATURE-BASED REVIEW: PHYTOCHEMISTRY, PHARMACOLOGY, SAFETY PROFILE, NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND TRADITIONAL THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF NIGELLA SATIVA L. IN UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

Background: Nigella sativa L. or black cumin, belong to the family Ranunculaceae, has long been used traditionally, for food purposes and in traditional Unani medicines and is a native of the Arabian Gulf region, East Asia, Africa and Europe. It is a rich medicinal plant in bioactive compounds. Aim of the study: The aim of this review is to develop an overview of black cumin seed in the context of the status traditional Unani medicine ideology with the incorporation of ethno pharmacological uses, chemical compositions, pharmacological activities, safety profile with evidence-based approach. Materials and Methods: Information on Nigella sativa L. was obtained from published materials, including medicinal plants monographs, ancient and modern recorded classical texts, Unani pharmacopoeias and electronic databases such as Pub Med, Web of Science, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Results: Black cumin seed has been used in Unani traditional medical systems throughout history. The presence of thymoquinone is mainly responsible for its most of the medicinal properties. Moreover, the presence of vitamins, myristic acid, proteins, fats, fiber, amino acids and some trace metals are also reported in the seeds particularly used as a nutraceutical. Numerous in vivo and in vitro studies on pharmacological effects of Nigella sativa L. viz. antioxidant, anticancer, immuno-modulatory, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, cardio protective, gastro protective, anti-hypertensive, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective and anti-diabetic properties demonstrated positive effect against diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, bronchitis, asthma, rheumatism, back pain, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, and eczema etc. Conclusion: Contemporary researches on Nigella sativa L. support the views of Unani physicians for its use as a food and medicinal herb. Black cumin-based potential therapeutic agents need to be applied for a variety of diseases and the formulation of accepted functional foods with the aim to promote optimum health and lessen the risk of chronic diseases.

PREVALENCE OF ZEEQUN NAFAS SHO'ABI (BRONCHIAL ASTHMA) IN AN URBAN AREA: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: The WHO estimates that there are 15- 20 million people suffering with asthma in India and the prevalence of asthma has been found to be around 7% in the majority of surveys done. Several studies have been conducted in India on asthma prevalence in children and adolescents, but very few studies have been conducted in adults. Hence the aim of this study is to find the prevalence of Zeequn Nafas Sho'abi (Bronchial Asthma) in an Urban area of Pune city. Materials and Method: Through Simple Random Sampling 700 participants of age between 20-60 years of either sex were included in the study. To diagnose the asthma spirometry was done. Observation and Result: Among 700 study subjects, 30 were diagnosed with asthma through spirometry. Hence the prevalence of asthma was found to be 4.28%. The difference between asthmatics and non asthmatics in relation to age, occupation, education, socio economic status and marital status was found to be significant. Whereas, gender and religion was found to be not significant. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of asthma diagnosed through spirometry was 4.2% in our study which is slightly lower than the nationwide prevalence of 7%. Education regarding the disease may affect and improve the quality of life of patients significantly.

ENGLINGHTNING THE HOLISTIC CONCEPT OF BAHAQ-E-ABYAZIN UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE: REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

The study of skin, the science of dermatology, has undergone significant transformations throughout the centuries. From the first descriptions of skin diseases in Egyptian papyri and in Hippocratic writings to the first treatises on dermatology, important individuals and discoveries have marked the specialty. A comprehensive description of Amrazejild (skin diseases) is available in classical Unani literature. Ancient Greco-Arabic scholars have described Bahaq-e-Abyaz (pityriasis) in detail along with etiopathogenesis, clinical features, complications, and management in their treatises. Ancient Unani scholars have been treating Bahaq-e-Abyaz successfully since antiquity. They have mentioned and practiced a compendium of single as well as compound herbo-mineral formulations for the treatment of Bahaq-e-Abyaz. It is important to provide a historical synthesis for the medical community to recognize and understand the holistic concept of Bahaq-e-Abyaz along with the treatment as mentioned in classics of Unani medicine.

EFFECTIVENESS OF ORAL AND TOPICAL UNANI FORMULATIONS IN TAQASHSHUR AL-JILD (PSORIASIS): A CASE STUDY

Taqashshur al-Jild (Psoriasis) is an Autoimmune Inflammatory disease with a worldwide prevalence of about 1.5 -2%. A 27 years old male patient, approached the outpatient department of the N ational Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorder (NRIUMSD), Hyderabad, with complaints of itching, scaling like dandruff, bleeding, burning of the scalp for one month. The examination of the skin revealed Psoriasis of the scalp. The patient was treated with the Unani regimen comprising of compound formulations Itrifal Shahetra (oral) 5gm, Habb-i-Musaffi Khoon (oral) 2 tablets, Marham Safed Kafoori (Topical), and Roghan Kamela (Topical) over scalp twice daily for 8 weeks days. The patient did not report any adverse effects during and after the treatment. After 8 weeks days of treatment, the whole scalp showed absence of the sign and symptoms of the disease. There was no recurrence of the disease during the next 2 months of post-treatment follow-up. This case report documented the successful treatment and prevention of recurrence of scalp psoriasis through Unani medicines. It concluded that the Unani regimen is effective and safe in the management of scalp psoriasis.

REVIEW ON NYCTANTHES ARBOR-TRISTIS (HARSINGHAR) - A HERBAL MEDICAMENT WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO UNANI MEDICINE

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis Linn is one of the important herbal drugs used for therapeutic purpose in India. It is described with the name 'Harsinghar' in Unani Medicine. Various parts of the plant are used medicinally to cure various diseases since centuries ago. These medicinal properties of the plant are due to the active phytochemicals present in the plant. Various chemicals have been isolated from this miracle plant having therapeutic potential possessing ethnomedical and pharmacological activities. It is a rich source of important phytochemicals like nycanthine, astringent principle, beta cortisol, coloring matter, tannins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, saponins and alkaloids etc. Pharmacological actions of Harsinghar include cholagogue, anthelmintic, laxative, antipyretic, diaphoretic, diuretic; for which the the plant is employed in the treatment of skin disorders, dandruff, malaria, different types of fever, hemorrhoids, palpitation, cough, excessive menstrual bleeding menstrual etc. Diverse pharmacological studies of the plant have been reported such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antipyretic, antioxidant activity proving the traditional claims scientifically. In this paper, an attempt has been made to summarize the information described in classical Unani texts and updated scientific research conducted on different parts of the N. arbor-tristis plant.