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Shafia Mushtaq1, Fasihuzzaman2, Asim Ali Khan2, Shazia Jilani3, MA Jafri4, Mohd Saeed5, Shah Alam1.
1Department of Moalijat, Faculty of Unani Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. India.
2Department of Moalijat , Faculty of Unani Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.
3Department of Moalijat, Faculty of Unani Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.
4Department of Ilmul Advia, Faculty of Unani Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.
5Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.

SHORT COMMUNICATION
Volume 2, Issue 3, Page 158-160, September-December 2014.

Article history
Received: 28 November 2014
Revised: 15 December 2014
Accepted: 20 December 2014
Early view: 27 December 2014

*Author for correspondence
E-mail: shafiya.mushtaq786@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Bafa (dandruff) is a common scalp disorder affecting almost half of the population at the pre-pubertal age of either gender or ethnicity. No population in any geographical region would have passed through freely without being affected by dandruff at some stage in their life. Dandruff (pityriasis capitis, seborrheic dermatitis confined to scalp) is a disease that has been around for centuries despite several treatment options. Although the exact cause of SD has yet to be known, Malassezia yeasts, hormones (androgens), sebum levels and immune response are known to play important roles in its etiopathogenesis. Since centuries, Unani medicine has been used in the treatment of Bafa. Keeping in mind the desirable action, the quantitative analysis for saponins of a polyherbal formulation used in Bafa was done. Saponins are high-molecular-weight glycosides, consisting of a sugar unit(s) linked to a triterpene or a steroid aglycone. Many saponins have detergent properties. Saponins lower the surface tension of aqueous solutions and therefore give stable foams when in contact with water. Antifungal activity related to the saponin content has been reported. The properties responsible for the interaction between saponins and cell membranes, attributes to their fungicidal and piscicidal action. Saponins have also been reported to have antimicrobial, cancer preventing and antiviral activities. In light of the importance of saponins in treatment of Bafa, the quantative analysis of a unani polyherbal formulation was done by gravimetric method and significant results were found. Results and methods will be discussed in full length paper.

Keywords: Bafa, dandruff, saponins, triterpene, aglycone.