Role of unani system of medicine in management of orofacial diseases: a review

Metabolite Profiling, Stability Testing, Pharmacokinetics, and In Vivo Pattern Recognition Analysis of Arq-e-Keora: A Traditional Unani Formulation

BACKGROUND

Arq-e-Keora is a liquid formulation of the Unani system of medicine and used since long for the management of weakness of heart, palpitations, etc.

OBJECTIVE

The study was carried out to generate a scientific data for its metabolite profiling, stability testing, pharmacokinetics, and pattern recognition analysis of Arq-e-Keora.

METHOD

Arq-e-Keora has been prepared as water distillate of male wpadix of Pandanus odoratissimus L.f. TLC profiling of Arq-e-Keora was performed using hexane and acetone (7:3, v/v) as a solvent system. The metabolic profiling of volatile compounds was carried out using GC-MS. Pharmacokinetic analysis was performed through GC-MS to evaluate how quickly it absorbs and distributes in plasma. The pattern recognition analysis was performed in order to recognize the pattern and fate of metabolites in rat plasma up to 24 h after single oral administration of Arq-e-Keora.

RESULTS

TLC and GC-MS analysis resulted in profiling of 11 and 21 metabolites, respectively. GC-MS analysis revealed that phenethyl alcohol, alpha-terpinolene, beta terpinene, alpha terpinene, beta fenchyl alcohol, hexadecanoic acid, and octadecanoic acid are the major metabolites found in Arq-e-Keora. The stability analysis showed that most of the compounds are stable at refrigerator temperature during their consumption. Pharmacokinetics data of phenethyl alcohol showed its absorption was rapid, with Tmax occurring within 1 h after oral administration of Arq-e-Keora. In vivo pattern recognition analysis suggests that some metabolite expression was altered after its oral administration.

CONCLUSIONS

As a result, our model could be used for quality, stability, and pharmacokinetic evaluation of various Unani formulations mentioned in Unani Pharmacopoeia of India.

HIGHLIGHTS

This is the first study of pharmacokinetic analysis and metabolite pattern of traditional Unani formulation after its oral administration in Wistar rats.

Study of antimicrobial activity of Unani poly herbal toothpaste "Sunoon Zard"

Objective

The present study was envisioned to develop Sunoon Zard a traditional Unani toothpowder into toothpaste form along with its physicochemical standardization and evaluation of anti microbial activity against oral pathogens by in vitro study.

Materials and methods

Herbal extracts based powder was redesigned to toothpaste as per the Pharmacopoeial guidelines and its pharmaceutical evaluation was conceded as per the Indian Government Tooth Paste Specifications. In vitro study was done to evaluate the antibacterial activity by using agar well diffusion method against dental pathogens. Zone of Inhibition was taken as the end parameter against the test pathogens after appropriate incubation period. It was compared with Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) used as solvent (0.01%) as Negative control whereas Ciprofloxacin 5μg/disk (standard antibiotic for gram positive) and Gentamicin 10μg/disk (standard antibiotic for gram negative) were used as Positive control. All the experiment was done as per the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Guidelines in triplicates.

Results

Sunoon Zard was developed into toothpaste form and its physicochemical values were found to in consonance with the optimum values as mentioned in Bureau of Indian Standard. In vitro study of the Sunoon Zard toothpaste was found to be effective against various dental pathogens with specific sensitivity with good zone of inhibition towards gram negative bacterial strains viz. P.aeruginosa and K.pneuomoniae while among gram positive a significant inhibition was found against C.xerosis and S.viridans.

Conclusion

The developed toothpaste from classical Unani herbal tooth powder will provide the better patient compliance. Moreover its scientific screening which exhibited potential antibacterial activity in controlling pathogenic oral microflora compared to the standard drugs also revalidated the claim of Unani Physicians that the Sunoon Zard is quite effective in various oro-dental disorders.

Correlative study of heavy metal content with biological importance of Solanum virginianum leaf extract

Background

Rapid urbanization and industrialization have greatly impacted the inherent soil composition. Heavy metals disposed in the environment by anthropogenic activities toxicate flora and ultimately affect the phytochemical profile of medicinal plants. We report here such an investigation of the heavy metal concentrations in the leaf extract of Solanum virginianum (S. virginianum). This work has been extended to observe the phytochemical constituents and antibacterial significance of leaf extracts in methanol and aqueous medium.

Methods

The metal concentration was analysed on ICE 3000 series atomic absorption spectrometer. The antibacterial assessment was carried by disc diffusion technique against three gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and one gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria.

Results

The content of Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), and Lead (Pb) were 2.04, 0.47, 0.41, and 0.10 mg/L, respectively. Saponin and coumarin were present in both extracts. Various other phytochemicals like steroids, terpenoid, and flavonoid, were present only in the water extract, while tannin was present only on methanol extract. The methanol and aqueous extracts exhibited their highest inhibition on S. aureus with zones of inhibition of 12 mm and 14 mm, respectively.

Conclusion

The aqueous extract possessed more phytochemicals than the methanol extract, and the aqueous extract exhibited better antibacterial activity. The high Fe content in the leaf extract may suggest its use as an anaemic medicine. Other metal contents are under the WHO range.

Use of traditional medicine for dental care by different ethnic groups in New Zealand

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing public interest in the use of TM internationally, yet there is a paucity of research on the use of TM by the public in the dental setting. This study aimed to explore the views, use of and access to TM in dentistry among different ethnic groups residing in New Zealand.

METHODS

Qualitative study and in-depth interviews were used. An individual semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using an inductive approach to identify the main themes.

RESULTS

Three main themes were extracted from interviews with 14 participants from diverse cultural backgrounds: [1] the perspectives of TM varied among different ethnic groups and included the involvement of spirituality, the environment, knowledge and usage of TM. [2] The TM that was used by different ethnic groups included plants, herbs, massage, and other forms of healing. Reasons for choosing traditional or western medicines generally included family tradition, access to TM, and finding a competent traditional healer. [3] The barriers in accessing TM included the paucity of traditional healers, difficulty accessing plants and cost, therefore most would look for a substitution or alternative treatment.

CONCLUSION

Even though the access to these TM in New Zealand was a challenge for the majority of the participants, they are still considered the first-line treatment for the majority. This study provided dental practitioners an insight into the different sort of TM used by the population. By understanding and acknowledging the use of TM, dental practitioners could create a supportive environment for patients to disclose their use of TM and allow them to educate patients on the use of TM.

The Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine from Natural Products

Natural products and traditional medicines are of great importance. Such forms of medicine as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Kampo, traditional Korean medicine, and Unani have been practiced in some areas of the world and have blossomed into orderly-regulated systems of medicine. This study aims to review the literature on the relationship among natural products, traditional medicines, and modern medicine, and to explore the possible concepts and methodologies from natural products and traditional medicines to further develop drug discovery. The unique characteristics of theory, application, current role or status, and modern research of eight kinds of traditional medicine systems are summarized in this study. Although only a tiny fraction of the existing plant species have been scientifically researched for bioactivities since 1805, when the first pharmacologically-active compound morphine was isolated from opium, natural products and traditional medicines have already made fruitful contributions for modern medicine. When used to develop new drugs, natural products and traditional medicines have their incomparable advantages, such as abundant clinical experiences, and their unique diversity of chemical structures and biological activities.