Antianaemic herbal drugs with special reference to rumman juice [punica granatuni] and maveez munaqqa [vitis vinifera] in classical unani literature

ABSTRACT

Anaemia constitutes a public health problem of considerable importance in under developed and tropical areas of the world. In India, high rate of maternal mortality is observed due to the prevalence of anaemia. Anaemia is caused when one of the three things occur 1. Red blood cell production decreases. 2. Red cell destruction increases. 3. There is significant blood loss or bleeding. There are many ways in which this can happen. Blood loss may occur as a result of trauma [an accident], during surgery or menstruation, inherited blood cell defects [e.g. Sickle cell anaemia], dietary problem [such as folic acid deficiency] kidney disease and treatments for cancer or HIV/AIDS, and these can all lead to anaemia. There are a large number of herbal drugs possessing anti-anaemic properties and they are used by Unani physicians in different conditions of anaemia. Here in this paper we have chosen two drugs - Punica granatum and Vitis vinifera for evaluating their haematinic activities which are mentioned by Unani scholars in classical literature i.e. Makhzanul Mufradat, Al-Qanoon, Khazainul Advia, Khazinatul Advia, Bustanul Mufradat etc. Both drugs are used as food and medicine especially as haematinic [Muallide Dam]