ABSTRACT
The compounding of Unani drugs is profoundly rooted in history. The earliest preparations i.e., Sufoof (Powder) and Tiryaq (Anti-dote) were prepared by Arastu (Aristotle) and Indrumakhas I (Andromachus I) respectively. Some of the preparations like Habb-e-Ayarij, Amroosiya, Basaliqoon and Ointment etc., were introduced by Buqrat (Hippocrates). But the large numbers of dosage forms were prepared by Jalinus (Galen) who propounded that the patient’s body would pull out of a complex prescription the substances that it needed to restore its humoral balance. Hence, he is considered as the father of polyherbal pharmaceutical preparations. One of the prime factors for not reaching Unani System of Medicine to the public at large is the stagnation in drug dosage forms. Nearly 90 dosage forms are recorded in Unani pharmaceutical books, of them only 1/3rd is used in present era. Most of the dosage forms remain only an ornament of books because of varied reasons viz. time consuming preparations, not easy to carry, large bulk of doses, not so attractive, unsterilized method of handling, delayed action, high sugar content etc. Thus, it is highly imperative to modify the Unani drug dosage forms. Modifications should be done in all three phases of pharmaceutical drugs i.e., before, during and after preparations. Apart from this, several dosage forms which are not used may be changed into sub lingual, chewable and dispersible tablets, lozenges, drops, inhalers, suppositories, pessaries, cosmetics, enemas, etc. Unless and until afore said measures are taken on priority basis, the survival of the system will remain a quagmire.
Keywords: Unani drugs; dosage forms; ashkale advia; modification.