Brinjasif (Achillea millefolium Linn): An efficacious unani medicine

Abstract

Plant based drugs have been in used against various diseases since time immemorial. In India the indigenous system of medicine namely Unani, Ayurveda & Siddha have been in existence for several centuries. This article bridges the gap between the traditional use of brinjasif (Achillea millefolium Linn) and the results of evidence based experiments. It is a flowering plant of the family Asteraceae and is widely used in Unani system of medicine as muhallile warm (anti-inflammatory) musakine dard (analgesic), dafia’h huma (antipyretic), mudire boul (diuretic), mudire haiz (emmenogogue), qatil kirme shikam (antihelmentic). Studies have shown that it possess anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, analgesic, anti-spasmodic, hepatoprotective, gastro-protective activities.