{"title":"Evidence-Based Unani Pharmacotherapeutics for the Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Mechanistic Review.","authors":"Faiza Nasir, Malik Itrat, Fatima Khan","doi":"","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a global health crisis, affecting a quarter of the world's population, and is anticipated to become a leading cause of liver transplantation and hepatocellular carcinoma by 2030. Conventional pharmacotherapy for NAFLD remains imperfect. In this context, Unani medicine offers a promising alternative for managing NAFLD.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This review aims to compile information on Unani medications used for the treatment of NAFLD, aiming to provide evidence of their efficacy and delve into the mechanisms through which these Unani drugs exert their therapeutic effects in NAFLD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A comprehensive exploration of classical Unani literature was conducted, referencing well-established texts to extract pertinent information regarding NAFLD and its treatment in Unani Medicine. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, were systematically searched to gather information on the efficacy of Unani drugs in the treatment of NAFLD.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Unani medicine offers a rich repository of single herbs and compound formulations. There is a description of about 32 single herbs and 18 compound formulations for the treatment of NAFLD. These drugs act due to their Musakhkhin (calorific), Mudirr (diuretics), Mufattiḥ (deobstruent), Muqawwῑ-i-Jigar (hepatoprotective), and Muḥallilat (anti-inflammatory) action. The bioactive components present in these drugs possess antioxidant, hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and hepatoprotective activities. These actions of Unani drugs closely align with the multifaceted nature of NAFLD pathogenesis, and thus effective in the treatment of NAFLD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings led us to conclude that the use of Unani medicines can improve clinical outcomes in NAFLD, as demonstrated by various clinical and experimental trials. However, further clinical trials are essential to provide a safe and effective option for addressing this prevalent liver condition.</p>","PeriodicalId":7571,"journal":{"name":"Alternative therapies in health and medicine","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Alternative therapies in health and medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a global health crisis, affecting a quarter of the world's population, and is anticipated to become a leading cause of liver transplantation and hepatocellular carcinoma by 2030. Conventional pharmacotherapy for NAFLD remains imperfect. In this context, Unani medicine offers a promising alternative for managing NAFLD.
Objective: This review aims to compile information on Unani medications used for the treatment of NAFLD, aiming to provide evidence of their efficacy and delve into the mechanisms through which these Unani drugs exert their therapeutic effects in NAFLD.
Methods: A comprehensive exploration of classical Unani literature was conducted, referencing well-established texts to extract pertinent information regarding NAFLD and its treatment in Unani Medicine. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, were systematically searched to gather information on the efficacy of Unani drugs in the treatment of NAFLD.
Results: Unani medicine offers a rich repository of single herbs and compound formulations. There is a description of about 32 single herbs and 18 compound formulations for the treatment of NAFLD. These drugs act due to their Musakhkhin (calorific), Mudirr (diuretics), Mufattiḥ (deobstruent), Muqawwῑ-i-Jigar (hepatoprotective), and Muḥallilat (anti-inflammatory) action. The bioactive components present in these drugs possess antioxidant, hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and hepatoprotective activities. These actions of Unani drugs closely align with the multifaceted nature of NAFLD pathogenesis, and thus effective in the treatment of NAFLD.
Conclusion: The findings led us to conclude that the use of Unani medicines can improve clinical outcomes in NAFLD, as demonstrated by various clinical and experimental trials. However, further clinical trials are essential to provide a safe and effective option for addressing this prevalent liver condition.
期刊介绍:
Launched in 1995, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine has a mission to promote the art and science of integrative medicine and a responsibility to improve public health. We strive to maintain the highest standards of ethical medical journalism independent of special interests that is timely, accurate, and a pleasure to read. We publish original, peer-reviewed scientific articles that provide health care providers with continuing education to promote health, prevent illness, and treat disease. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine was the first journal in this field to be indexed in the National Library of Medicine. In 2006, 2007, and 2008, ATHM had the highest impact factor ranking of any independently published peer-reviewed CAM journal in the United States—meaning that its research articles were cited more frequently than any other journal’s in the field.
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine does not endorse any particular system or method but promotes the evaluation and appropriate use of all effective therapeutic approaches. Each issue contains a variety of disciplined inquiry methods, from case reports to original scientific research to systematic reviews. The editors encourage the integration of evidence-based emerging therapies with conventional medical practices by licensed health care providers in a way that promotes a comprehensive approach to health care that is focused on wellness, prevention, and healing. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine hopes to inform all licensed health care practitioners about developments in fields other than their own and to foster an ongoing debate about the scientific, clinical, historical, legal, political, and cultural issues that affect all of health care.