Clinical evaluation of Unani formulation in zeequnafas shobi [bronchial asthma]

ABSTRACT

Asthma is a dangerous disease of lungs, which was known to mankind from the time of Hippocrates, but its peculiar features identified it. Hippocrates was the first to name this disease as 'panting' which means breathlessness1. Later on many Unani scholars keenly studied about Asthma and mentioned it in their books. The Unani scholars successfully treated this disease by Unani medicines, which even the present scholars, are following. The modern medical science invented bronchodilators and corticosteroids thus made the treatment much easier. Apart from all these advancements, the complete treatment of asthma is yet to be achieved. The drugs, which have been selected for the purpose of this research work, have been in practice since ancient times. The main objective of this study was to scientifically evaluate the efficacy of our drugs in commonly encountered clinical entity, asthma. The study was open single group uncontrolled randomised clinical trial. In the present study thirty cases of 15 to 55 years of age who were clinically diagnosed were enrolled in the study for 60 days from indoor and outdoor of the Department of Moalejat, Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College and Hospital, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh during the period extending from 2006-2008. The patients were treated with Irasa [Iris ensata Thunb.], Zanjabeel [Zingiber officinalis Rosc.], Qaranfal [Eugenia caryophylla Thunb.] and Maghz-e-Amaltas [Cassia fistula Linn.] 6 grams, 3 grams, 3 grams and 4 grams respectively in the form of powder 12 hourly for 60 days. Significant improvement in symptoms and signs and laboratory findings of the disease was observed