Safety study of a single Unani drug: Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus)

Abstract

A World Health Organisation survey indicated that about 70-80% of the world poplutions rely on non-conventional medicine mainly of herbal sources in their primary healthcare. Recent study was aimed to evaluate safety parameters of Saad Kufi (Cyperus scariosus) a very common drug used in Unani System of Medicine for its cardiotonic and exhilarant effect. Safety study of herbal drugs and food items is now mandatory as per World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. It includes determination of aflatoxin, heavy metals, Pesticide residue and microbial load. Study reveals the presence of heavy metals lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic within permissible limit as per WHO guidelines while aflatoxins, pesticides and microbial load was found to be absent in the crude drug sample.It can be said that the drug is free from toxicity.