A comprehensive review of bronchial asthma with reference to Unani medicine and conventional medicine

Abstract

Bronchial asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder that is defined as a hyper responsiveness of bronchi or bronchioles to the external stimuli or internal stimuli. This affects all age groups around the world and about 262 million people are suffering from asthma worldwide while 17.23 million people are from India alone. The disease has been mentioned in detail in ancient unani literature. The disease is identified through the symptoms of cough, chest tightness and shortness of breath accompanied by tachycardia and mild systolic hypertension sometimes. The disease fulfills the unani concept of sue mizaj sue tarkeeb and tafarruq-wa-ittesaal. In unani literature, causes and types of asthma are mentioned in detailed manner. The mode of treatment requires the elimination of cause, correction of temperament (mizaj), evacuation of morbid matter, expectorant and tonic drugs. In conventional medicine the disease is treated with short acting bronchodilators, long acting β2 adrenoreceptors agonists, corticosteroids. In unani medicine the interventional therapy or drug therapy is used in the form of single drugs like Zanjabeel, Gaozaban, Arusa, Zufa, Irsa, Abresham, Asl-us-soos etc and compound formulations such as Laooq-e-Zeeq-un-nafas balghami, Laooq-e-motadil, Laooq-e-katan, Majoon-e-rah-ul-momineen etc. Apart from this Unani medicine also focuses on the Asbab-e-Sitte Zarooriya.