Clinical studies on the treatment of psoriasis in Unani system of medicine: A systemic review

Abstract

<strong>Background & Aim:</strong>Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. In <em>Unani</em> system of medicine, psoriasis is termed as <em>Da</em><em>ʹ</em><em>us</em><em> Sadaf</em> or <em>Taqashshur-i Jild </em>which has been treated successfully since antiquity with various single and compound drugs. In recent years, various clinical studies have been conducted to validate the claims of <em>Unani</em> medicine in the management of psoriasis. The aim of this study was to review the published scientific clinical studies, performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of <em>Unani</em> drugs in the treatment of psoriasis.<br /> <strong>Experimental: </strong>Author searched four databases for psoriasis, using the terms “<em>Da</em><em>ʹ</em><em>us</em><em> Sadaf</em> OR psoriasis", “<em>Taqashshur-i Jild</em> OR psoriasis", “<em>Unani</em> medicine and psoriasis". Author also hand searched journals available in the library of Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine & Jamia Hamdard (New Delhi) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Raipur). All published clinical studies with <em>Unani</em> intervention were included in this review.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> A total of 58 articles were reviewed; out of them 46 articles based on animal studies, epidemiological reports, studies of general concepts were discarded leading to inclusion of 12 articles. Different Unani drugs were used in the trials. Although each clinical study reported beneficial effect, but there were very few trials that were controlled and randomized.<br /> <strong>Recommended applications/industries:</strong> Various clinical studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of <em>Unani</em> drugs in the treatment of psoriasis have been carried out, but well-designed randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) still need to be conducted using standardized tools to scientifically validate the safety and efficacy of <em>Unani</em> drugs in the treatment of psoriasis.