THERAPEUTIC EVALUATION OF UNANI HERBAL MEDICINE FOR TOPICAL APPLICATION (ZIMAD OF TUKHME TURB, TUKHME KARAFS AND SIRKA) IN MELASMA (KALAF) – A SINGLE BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

Munawwar Gauri; Tanzeel Ahmed; Mohammad Shahid Khan; S Javed Ali

Volume : IV, Issue : XII, December - 2015

THERAPEUTIC EVALUATION OF UNANI HERBAL MEDICINE FOR TOPICAL APPLICATION (ZIMAD OF TUKHME TURB, TUKHME KARAFS AND SIRKA) IN MELASMA (KALAF) – A SINGLE BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

Munawwar Gauri, Tanzeel Ahmed, Mohammad Shahid Khan, S Javed Ali

Abstract :

Background: Melasma is a common diagnosis in any dermatology clinic and can reach an incidence of 0.25% to 4% of cases seen in any dermatology institution of Asia. Despite the effective therapeutic regimes currently available for Melasma in contemporary medicine, there remain many patients who fail to respond adequately or develop side effects. Considering this unconvincing scenario, Unani medicine axiomatically comes to the fore as the Kalaf (Melasma) has successfully been treated since antiquity without any significant, obnoxious effects on the body. In view of above, a clinical study was conducted to find the efficacy of the Unani topical formulation consists of Tukhme Turb (Seeds of Raphanus sativus), Tukhme Karafs (Seeds of Apium graveolens) and Sirka (vinegar) in the management of Melasma. Objective: Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of Zimad (Tukhme Turb, Tukhme Tarafs and Sirka) in the management of Kalaf (Melasma). Methodology: The study was designed as Parallel group, Randomized, Single blind with standard control on 40 patients of Melasma. Test group comprised of 20 patients and were given test drug in the form of Zimad (paste) {Tukhme Turb (Seeds of Raphanus sativus), Tukhme Karafs (Seeds of Apium graveolens) and Sirka (vinegar)} once a day for a period of 45 days. Control Group was comprise of 20 patients in which standard drug, Azelaic acid 10% cream, was applied topically once a day for the same duration. Patients were kept under strict observation and assessment of the efficacy of treatment in test and control group was carried out on the basis of subjective and objective parameters. Result: Significant improvement was observed statistically in both test and standard control drug (p<0.05). In the area of Melasma strongly significant change (p=0.001) was observed in test group and Suggestive significant change (p=0.056) was observed in control group. In the darkness of the lesion, highly significant change (p<0.001) was observed in test group and significant change (p=0.001) was observed in control group. Similarly highly significant change (p<0.001) and significant change (p=0.015) was observed in test and control groups respectively in homogeneity of the lesion. Comp� the total MASI score statistically highly significant changes was observed in both groups as p=0.001 in test group and p=0.007 in control group. Conclusion: Study revealed that test drug was equally effective to standard control drug in ameliorating the lesions of Melasma. Mild burning and peeling was experienced in some patients of both groups. Therefore, the test drug may be considered as safe and well tolerated in treatment of Melasma.