Efficacy of Unani Formulations in Waja-ulMafasil (Rheumatoid Arthritis)- A Randomized Comparative Clinical Study

Abstract

Arthritis is described in the Unani system of Medicine under the broad term "Waja‘al-Mafāsil," which encompasses various 
joint disorders, including inflammatory, non-inflammatory, infectious, metabolic, and other musculoskeletal disorders. In the 
conventional system of Medicine, Rheumatoid arthritis is considered a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect more than 
just joints. In India, it affects 15% (180 million) of the population. According to the Unani concept, the pathological changes in the 
joints are mainly caused by derangement of Akhlat (humoural) temperament and accumulation of Fasid madda (morbid material) 
in the joint spaces. The aim of the study wad to evaluate and compare the efficacy of Group-A & Group-B Medicine in the 
Management of Waja-ul-Mafasil (Rheumatoid Arthritis) and also to provide alternate safe and effective herbal medicines with 
maximum efficacy and minimal side effects. A randomized comparative clinical study was conducted with 40 participants recruited 
from the male Outpatient Department (OPD) and Inpatient Department (IPD) of Moalijat (General Medicine) at Government 
Nizamia Tibbi College & Hospital in Hyderabad. Verbal consent was obtained from patients before examinations and 
investigations. All participants provided written informed consent prior to the trial. Group A and Group B received medication for 
6 months, and pre- and post-trial assessments were conducted using the Student's t-test and paired test. Pre- and post-trial drug 
efficacy assessment was conducted using VAS. After completion of the trial, a 90% response rate was observed in Group A, 
whereas Group B showed a 70% response rate (p-value 0.001*), indicating high significance. It was concluded that the response 
to selected Unani Medicines was better in the early stages of the disease when there are no gross structural changes in the affected 
joints. However, even in chronic cases, Group-A medicines proved to be more effective than Group-B."