Comparative study of different samples of Unani preparation Itrifal ustukhuddus with a reference standard sample for physicochemical standardisation

ABSTRACT

Before the advent of modern medicine, the majority of folks relied on the drugs of plant origin for the treatment of common ailments. An appreciable number of these herbal drugs have been scientifically analysed and a lot of them are under such appraisal at present in the research laboratories, however very few attempts have been made to analyse the poly-pharmaceutical preparations especially in the case of Unani Murakkabat [Compound formulations]. Reference may be made to the standardization of Khamira Abresham Hakeem Arshad Wala [Siddiqui, 1964] and the standardization of Jawarish-e-Jalinoos [Israili 1971] and Itrifal Mulayyin [Israili, 1972]. Since the Unani system of medicine uses herbs, animal products as well as minerals, it is necessary to evolve the standards for single as well as poly-pharmaceuticals. To satisfy the present day scientific world it is all the more important to lay down minimum standards of quality and purity for indigenously developed drugs to ensure their uniform effectiveness against disease. In view of these factors an attempt has been made in the present study to standardise constituents of "Itrifal Ustukhuddus," a well-known Unani preparation making use of modern methods of analysis. Itrifal Ustukhuddus is a reputed poly-pharmaceutical preparation of Unani system of medicine. It is extensively used with great success in the treatment of chronic sinusitis, a very common disease causing great discomfort. It is a time-tested drug in Unani system of medicine, and has gained positive reputation due to its wide and divergent actions on different systems of human body. It purifies the body from the waste products and relieves obstruction in the flow of body fluids. It gets rid of toxic substances [metabolites] from major organs like heart, brain, liver, spleen and kidney. It is also useful in epilepsy, melancholia and insomnia [Siddiqui, et al., 1991]. Keeping in view the beneficial effects of Itrifal Ustukhuddus in the nervous and respiratory disorders and its frequency of usage, an attempt has been made to find out the analytical characteristics of this Unani preparation which may prove prelude to fix the chemical standards for this preparation