An overview of cardio protective drugs in the light of Advia-e-Qalbia

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are common in affluent class of society of the world, one of the important causes of premature deaths. It may be due to atherosclerosis, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia etc. The major culprit of ischemic heart diseases is atherosclerosis-basically atherosclerosis is nothing but the deposition of cholesterol in the internal layer of arteries. This atherosclerosis can be prevented by modification of diet and use of some cardio protective drugs. Nowadays researchers are concentrating on the preventive aspect of the disease. In ancient classical literature there are several drugs which are mentioned as cardio protective. Ibn-e-Sena was the first among the unani physicians who wrote a book on cardiac drugs by the name of Advia-e-Qalbia. In this book he mentioned about the causes, clinical features as well as treatment of several cardiac ailments. Some of the important drugs are amla, zafran, sandal, balcharh, Jadwar etc. These drugs possess different cardio protective properties. In the paper an attempt has been made to present review of cardio protective drugs in the light of Unani System of Medicine with modern scientific interpretations.