EXPLORING THE TRADITIONAL THERAPY FOR CATARACT BASED ON THE MALAY MEDICAL MANUSCRIPT: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

In the ancient medical manuscripts, there were many medical remedies and ingredients used to treat certain diseases. However, the presence of materia medica in medical manuscripts to treat cataract is still intriguing and has not been fully explored. This review aims to identify the most common material medica and its formulation in treating cataract in the Malay medical manuscript as well as to identify its published scientific support. Method: This study involves a qualitative descriptive analysis on Malay Medical Manuscripts and articles of scientific journals to obtain data, based on a scoping review. Results: The common materia medica in cataract treatment stated in the Malay Medical Manuscripts are citrus and biles. The frequency of both ingredients being mentioned in the manuscripts are 3 times each across 6 Malay Medical Manuscripts, which contain 10 formulations on cataract. Conclusion: The commonly mentioned material medica in the manuscript such as citrus and biles may become a potential material for further scientific investigation in treating cataract.