Effect of Safoof-E-Satawar in acid peptic disorder [Hurqat-E-Meda]

ABSTRACT

Acid peptic disorder [hurqat-e-meda] is one of the common ailments of gastrointestinal tract. It is more common ailments of gastrointestinal tract. It is more common in the tropical countries and in those individuals, who are soft drinkers, alcoholics and non-vegetarians. Although it is a symptom and not a disease but Unani philosophers and physicians have described it as a disease in their treatises. The symptoms like epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, distention of abdomen, water brash, burning in epigastrium, insomnia due to pain and tenderness in epigastrium compel the patient to consult his physician. Safoof-e-Satawar which includes Aslus-sus [Glycyrrhiza glabra], Satawar [Asparagus racemosus], Elaichi kalan [Amomum subulatum] and Zeera-e-siyah [Carum carvi] which are said to be beneficial in hyperacidity individually or in combination, was tested in 30 cases of hurqat-e-meda, in the dose of 6 gms in two equal divided dosage for 6 weeks. At the end of the study the relief in pain in epigastrium, nausea and vomiting, distention of abdomen, water brash, burning in epigastrium, insomnia due to pain and tenderness in epigastrium was found in 48.27%, 93.34%, 73.69%, 62.07%, 66.67%, 46.67%, 69.57% and 70.38% of cases respectively. There was marked decrease in the level of mean free acid from 34.1 mEq/L to 30.7 mEq/L after 6 weeks of treatment