Vol. 8, Issue 1 (2019)

Author(s):
Shamim and Mohammad Idris

Abstract:
Topical drug administration is a localized drug delivery system anywhere in the body mainly through skin, partly from ophthalmic, rectal, and vaginal as topical routes. The dosage forms used topically range in physicochemical nature from solid through semisolid to liquid form. It is interesting to note that in spite of the popular Unani drug dosage forms (UDDFs), namely safoof (powder), hub (pill) qurs (tablet), majoon (electuary) etc. devised and developed exclusively for the oral route. A separate class of UDDFs had also been designed and developed for joint disorders/diseases, such as marham (ointment), Raughan (medicated oil), tila (liniment) etc. administered topically. These UDDFs have been more effective and safe in clinical practice since centuries. However, there is no denying the fact that these dosage forms have some disadvantages in terms of delayed onset of action and cumbersome to use. Thus, it needs to be understood in the present perspective. The need of the hour is to revisit the Unani dosage forms in terms of prevailing situation, i.e., need of fast relief and user-friendly approach. It necessitates meeting the challenge by developing Unani fast reliving drug delivery system (UFRDDS), especially employed as analgesic and anti-inflammatory medicament. The joint disorder/disease, muscular inflammatory conditions are the most suitable case for UFRDDS. The study resulted that there was a vast difference shown in CDR of both versions, i.e., classical prepared Raughan as per Unani pharmacopoeial method and prepared in the form of emulgel according to conventional pharmaceutics. In the former the CDR was 58.46%, i.e., half amount of drugs released whereas it was more than two third, i.e., 78.82% in case of latter. The pattern of drug release in both versions was also significant in terms of drug release time after 3,15,30,45 and 60 minutes. The difference of CDR was found about 20 percentages between both versions. It showed a fare amount of drugs released in the body. In this paper, an effort has been made to compare the Cumulative Drug Release (CDR) of prepared Unani emulgel dosage form with Raughan (oil) prepared by Unani classical method.