Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine

Primary insomnia is a common sleep–wake disorder characterized by impaired sleep initiation and maintenance with associated daytime dysfunction, while current pharmacological treatments are often limited by safety and tolerability concerns. This study examined the independent and combined effects of a sensory-mediated non-pharmacological intervention using Viola odorata L. and an oral botanical preparation derived from Papaver somniferum L. seeds in adults with primary insomnia. This exploratory, prospective, randomized, three-arm, component-based integrative trial enrolled 90 participants aged 18–65 years, randomized equally to Viola odorata –based Natūl therapy, Papaver somniferum seed powder, or combination therapy and treated for four weeks. Sleep outcomes—including Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), daytime dysfunction (VAS), and number of nocturnal awakenings—were assessed at baseline and post-intervention and analysed using a per-protocol framework with non-parametric methods. Recurrence rate has been assessed after three months of treatment. All three interventions were associated with significant improvements across all sleep parameters (all p < 0.001), with large within-group effect sizes (r ≈ 0.86 – 0.89). Between-group comparisons of change scores demonstrated significantly greater improvements with combination therapy compared with either monotherapy (η 2 ≈ 0.21–0.26). Viola odorata –based Natūl monotherapy produced improvements comparable to oral Papaver somniferum therapy for most outcomes. No clinically meaningful safety concerns were observed. Sensory-mediated therapy using Viola odorata L. and oral administration of Papaver somniferum L. seeds are effective in the management of primary insomnia, with combination therapy providing additive sustained with less recurrence rate and supporting a graded, personalized integrative treatment approach.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease, particularly ulcerative colitis, requires effective delivery of anti-inflammatory drugs to the inflamed colonic mucosa while minimizing systemic exposure. Budesonide is a potent topical corticosteroid; however, its low oral bioavailability and extensive first-pass metabolism limit its therapeutic availability. The present study aimed to develop and optimize budesonide-loaded zinc-crosslinked chitosan (Zn-CS-BUD) nanocomposite spheroids for pH-responsive, mucus-penetrating, and sustained colonic drug delivery. Methods: Zn-CS-BUD nanocomposite spheroids were prepared using a modified ionic gelation technique followed by zinc crosslinking. A 3² full factorial design was employed to investigate the effects of CS:TPP ratio and ZnCl₂ concentration on particle size and entrapment efficiency. The optimized formulation was characterized for particle size, PDI, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, drug loading, swelling behavior, morphology, mucus penetration, and pharmacokinetic performance. Results: Numerical optimization identified a CS:TPP ratio of 1.5:1 and ZnCl₂ concentration of 0.55% w/v as the optimum formulation. The optimized spheroids exhibited a particle size of 245.3 ± 8.2 nm, PDI of 0.23 ± 0.02, zeta potential of −18.2 ± 1.3 mV, entrapment efficiency of 78.6 ± 3.4%, and drug loading of 12.4 ± 1.2%. The formulation demonstrated pH-responsive swelling, with a swelling index of 218.4 ± 8.2% at pH 7.4 after 12 h. Mucus penetration was significantly enhanced, with 62.4 ± 5.8% translocation through mucus compared with 22.3 ± 3.2% for conventional positively charged chitosan nanoparticles. Pharmacokinetic evaluation demonstrated a prolonged Tmax of 6 h, increased AUC₀–₂₄ to 3218.5 ± 245.2 ng·h/mL, and prolonged elimination half-life to 8.2 ± 0.6 h compared with budesonide suspension. Conclusion: The optimized zinc-crosslinked chitosan nanocomposite spheroids demonstrated favorable physicochemical characteristics, pH-responsive swelling, enhanced mucus penetration, and sustained pharmacokinetic behavior. The findings support Zn-CS-BUD spheroids as a promising platform for targeted and sustained colonic delivery of budesonide in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Tukhme Kasoos/Aftimoon) is a holoparasitic medicinal plant traditionally used in the Unani system for several disorders, including hepatobiliary conditions. Contemporary investigations have increasingly explored its phytochemistry, anticancer activity, hepatoprotective effects, and associated molecular mechanisms. Objective: This review aimed to critically evaluate the phytochemical basis, anticancer and hepatoprotective potential, molecular mechanisms, safety considerations, and translational relevance of C. reflexa. Methods: Evidence was synthesized from studies retrieved through major biomedical and multidisciplinary databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Experimental evidence was categorized according to phytochemical, in-vitro, in-vivo, in-silico, and traditional evidence levels. Particular attention was given to plant material, extraction method, experimental model, molecular endpoints, and translational limitations. Results: C. reflexa contains diverse phytoconstituents, including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, coumarin-related constituents, sterols, glycosides, and phenylpropanoid derivatives. Preclinical studies demonstrated concentration-dependent antiproliferative activity and tumor-growth inhibition in experimental cancer models. Conclusion: C. reflexa is a promising preclinical natural-product candidate with notable anticancer and hepatoprotective potential.

Medical data frequently contain binary or binomial-type outcomes recorded over a fixed number of observation periods, exposures, or clinical opportunities. In such settings, the probability of an event may vary considerably between patients because of underlying clinical heterogeneity, repeated exposure, and differences in susceptibility. When this heterogeneity is ignored, the ordinary binomial model may underestimate the observed variability and may provide a poor representation of datasets with sparse outcomes and a high concentration of zeros. Motivated by this feature of medical event data, a new mixed binomial distribution, termed the Binomial-Sujatha distribution, is proposed. The model is constructed by allowing the binomial success probability to be random, with P = e-Θ, where Θ follows the one-parameter Sujatha distribution. This construction automatically restricts the random probability to (0,1) while introducing heterogeneity into the binomial success mechanism without requiring a separate zero-inflation component. A closed-form probability mass function is derived, together with the probability generating function, factorial moments, mean and variance. The variance decomposition demonstrates explicitly the additional variation induced by the random success probability. Maximum likelihood estimation is developed through numerical maximization. The practical relevance of the proposed distribution is examined using two medical datasets, namely catheter blockage data and recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) data. The proposed model is compared with the ordinary Binomial, zero-inflated Binomial, Beta-Binomial and Lindley-Binomial distributions using log-likelihood, AIC, BIC and Pearson goodness-of-fit statistics. In both applications, the Binomial-Sujatha distribution provides a competitive and parsimonious representation of the observed frequency distributions, with particularly favourable information criteria and satisfactory goodness-of-fit. The results suggest that the proposed model is useful for medical binomial-type data in which the assumption of a common fixed event probability is questionable and substantial heterogeneity or zero concentration is present.

Dendrocalamus strictus is an economically and ecologically important bamboo species widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. The present study was undertaken to document the morphology, habitat and phytochemical properties of D. strictus, with particular emphasis on the qualitative screening and quantitative estimation of its secondary metabolites. Field observations were carried out to document its morphological characteristics and habitat, followed by phytochemical analysis of the plant material using standard analytical methods. Qualitative screening revealed the presence of primary metabolites including protein, carbohydrate, starch and several bioactive constituents including tannin, saponin, flavonoids, terpenoids and reducing sugar. Quantitative analysis demonstrated the occurrence of 17.94 mg / 100 ml tannin, 6.13% saponin, 1.72 mg / 100 ml phenolic compounds and 0.40 mg / ml. The antioxidant activity using DPPH assay evaluated demonstrated considerable antioxidant potential with inhibition percentage increased from 48.92% to 51.71% for ethanol extract and 39.28% to 50.71% for aqueous extract of D. strictus in the increasing concentration. The presence of these metabolites suggests that D. strictus may possess significant biological and therapeutic potential. In addition to its traditional uses in construction, handicrafts, household materials and other livelihood activities, the species has potential for further exploration as a source of valuable bioactive compounds. The findings reveal the multifaceted importance of D. strictus and provide a basis for future investigations on nutraceutical and pharmacological and toxicity. Sustainable utilization and conservation of this valuable bamboo resource are recommended for maintaining its ecological and socioeconomic benefits.

This study aims to evaluate the scientific contributions of Hakim Ismail Jurjani in the field of ‘Ilm al-Amrāḍ (Pathology). Employing a narrative review methodology, the research analyzes primary Persian and Unani manuscripts, specifically Zakhīra Khwārazmshāhī, Al-Aghraz al-Tibbiyya, Kitāb Zubdat Tibb, and Khafī ʿAlāʾī, alongside secondary scholarly sources. The results reveal that Jurjani provided comprehensive discussions on the definition of health and disease, the distinction between cause (sabab) and sign (ʿarad), and the diagnostic value of pulse, respiration, urine, and bowel evacuation. His works detail the progression of disease through stages such as Nuzj and Buḥrān, while emphasizing environmental and geographical determinants of health. The study concludes that Jurjani was a transitional figure who synthesized Greco-Roman traditions with original empirical observations, significantly influencing Unani medicine through his use of Persian as a scientific language and his holistic approach to pathogenesis and preventive medicine.

Lumbar spondylosis and chronic low back pain represent leading global causes of musculoskeletal morbidity, functional impairment, and socioeconomic burden. Characterized pathologically by intervertebral disc degeneration, facet joint arthrosis, osteophytosis, and ligamentous laxity, the condition manifests clinically with chronic lumbosacral pain, paraspinal stiffness, and radicular neurological deficits. In the Unani System of Medicine, this condition is recognized under the clinical designation of Waja-ul-Qutun (pain localized to lumbar region) or Waja-ul-Zahr (vertebral column pain), categorized broadly within the spectrum of Waja-ul-Mafasil and Tehajjur-ul-Mafasil (ankylosis). Unani etiology attributes the disorder to Sue Mizaj (altered temperament), localized accumulation of Akhlat-e-Raddiya (morbid humours), and Zof-e-Mafasil (structural weakness of the joint architecture). Ilaj-bit-Tadbeer constitutes an indispensable, non-pharmacological and minimally invasive therapeutic arm of Unani medicine. It operates through the modulation of Asbab-e-Sitta Zarooriya and applies the fundamental healing law of Ilaj-biz-Zid. Core regimenal modalities—including Dalak (massage), Hijamah (cupping), Natool (irrigation), Takmeed (fomentation), Riyazat (exercise), Hammam (Turkish bath), Fasd (venesection), Zimad (pastes) and Tila (liniments)—act synergistically to induce Tanqiya-o-Imala-e-Mawad, Tahleel-e-Riyah and Taskeen-e-Alam. This paper provides an elaborate, evidence-informed review of Waja-ul-Qutun, synthesizing classical canonical Unani treatises with modern biomechanical and clinical evidence to establish the utility of Ilaj-bit-Tadbeer as a standardized, holistic management strategy.