Role of Unani System of Medicine in Management of Orofacial Diseases: A Review

Worldwide, unani, an age-old medical system with Greek roots, is still in use. Potentiation in Unani remedies needs to be redesigned to meet the needs of newly emerging ailments, however potentiation has not yet been tried in the Unani system. In this study, we developed a safer and more cost-effective way to apply and potentiate Marham Kafoori, a Unani medication used for topical wounds, using a mid-infrared generating atomizer (MIRGA). With a 20–40% shorter treatment duration, the potentiated Unani medication was found to be more effective. Clinical dose reduction, host stress reduction, and resource and expense reductions follow. Using FTIR and NMR spectroscopy, MIRGA-induced modifications in Marham Kafoori were further examined in terms of chemical bond configurations and alterations, and the results are described in full below.

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.

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.