Unani Regimenal Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis (Waja ‘al Rukba): A Comprehensive Scientific Assessment

Authors

  • Almas Furquan PG Scholar, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital AYUSH Campus, Nehru Nagar Kolar Bypass Road, Behind MANIT, Bhopal - 462003 (M.P.) India. https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3396-171X
  • Mehmooda Begum Professor, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital Bhopal, India.
  • Ehsaan Ahmad Assistant Professor, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital Bhopal, India. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8181-2806
  • Meraj Meraj PG Scholar, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital AYUSH Campus, Nehru Nagar Kolar Bypass Road, Behind MANIT, Bhopal - 462003 (M.P.) India. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7594-8272

Abstract

Pain in the joints has been a common and serious health issue for a long time. In Unani medicine, both inflammatory and non-inflammatory joint problems are grouped under the term "Waja‘al-Mafāṣil," which means joint pain. Osteoarthritis, based on its symptoms, is very similar to a condition in Unani medicine called Waja‘al-Mafāṣil Balghamī. One of the most common types of osteoarthritis is Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA), which is known in Unani medicine as Waja‘al Rukba. This chronic and painful condition is usually treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but these drugs can have many side effects. In contrast, the Unani system of medicine uses a more comprehensive approach to manage osteoarthritis. Waja‘al Rukba is managed with Istefragh (evacuation) followed by Tadeel Mizaj (rejuvenation), Taqwiyat (strengthened) and Taskeen (pain is relieved). Istefragh is achieved using specific Unani herbal treatments, like Munzij-Mushil Therapy followed by Tadeel Mizaj using various techniques, including Ḥijāma (cupping), Dalk (massage), Ta‘līq al-‘Alaq (leech therapy), Ḥammām (Turkish Bath), Takmeed (fomentation), Naṭūl (irrigation), Qay‘ (vomiting), and Ḥuqna (enema). Taskeen and Taqwiyat are achieved using either medications or these modalities. This overview focuses on Waja‘al Rukba and its Regimenal management.

Keywords Ilājbi’lTadbīr, Osteoarthritis, Unani, Waja ‘al Rukba, Waja‘al Mafāṣil,

Keywords:

Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr, Osteoarthritis, Unani, Waja ‘al Rukba, Waja‘al Mafāṣil

DOI

https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v14i10.6855

Author Biographies

Almas Furquan, PG Scholar, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital AYUSH Campus, Nehru Nagar Kolar Bypass Road, Behind MANIT, Bhopal - 462003 (M.P.) India.

PG Scholar, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital AYUSH Campus, Nehru Nagar Kolar Bypass Road, Behind MANIT, Bhopal - 462003 (M.P.) India.

Mehmooda Begum, Professor, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital Bhopal, India.

Professor, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital Bhopal, India.

Ehsaan Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital Bhopal, India.

Assistant Professor, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital Bhopal, India.

Meraj Meraj, PG Scholar, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital AYUSH Campus, Nehru Nagar Kolar Bypass Road, Behind MANIT, Bhopal - 462003 (M.P.) India.

PG Scholar, Dept. of ‘Ilāj bi’l Tadbīr (Regimenal Therapy), Hakim Syed Ziaul Hasan Government (Autonomous) Unani Medical College & Hospital AYUSH Campus, Nehru Nagar Kolar Bypass Road, Behind MANIT, Bhopal - 462003 (M.P.) India.

References

Chen D, Shen J, Zhao W, Wang T, Han L, Hamilton JL. Osteoarthritis: toward a comprehensive understanding of pathological mechanism. Bone Res. 2017; 5:16044 https://doi.org/10.1038/boneres.2016.44

Mora JC, Przkora R, Cruz-Almeida Y. Knee osteoarthritis: pathophysiology and current treatment modalities. J Pain Res. 2018; 11:2189-2196. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S154002

Pal CP, Singh P, Chaturvedi S, Pruthi KK, Vij A. Epidemiology of knee osteoarthritis in India and related factors. Indian J Orthop. 2016; 50(5):518-522. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5413.189608

Sinusas K. Osteoarthritis: diagnosis and treatment. Am FAM Physician. 2012; 85(1):49-56

Michael JW, Schlüter-Brust KU, Eysel P. The epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. DtschArztebl Int. 2010; 107(9):152-62. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2010.0152

Felson DT. Clinical practice. Osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med. 2006; 354(8):841-8. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp051726

Wu Y, Goh EL, Wang D, Ma S. Novel treatments for osteoarthritis: an update. Open Access Rheumatol. 2018; 10:135-140. https://doi.org/10.2147/OARRR.S176666

Khan A. Al Iksir (Urdu translation by Kabīr-al-Dīn HM). New Delhi: Idara Kitab-us-Shifa. 2011.

Razi Z. Kitab al-Hawi. Vol XI. Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India, New Delhi, 2004.

Ibn Sina. Kullliyate Qanoon (Urdu translation by Hk Mohd Kabeer uddin). Ejaz Publishing House, New Delhi. 2006.

Jurjani AH. Zakhira KhwarizamShahi(Urdu translation by Khan HHH). Vol 6. New Delhi: Idara Kitab-us-Shifa. 2010.

Majusi A. Kamil-al-Sana (Urdu translation by GH Kanturi). Vol 2nd. New Delhi: Idara Kitab-us-Shifa. 2010.

Baghdadi H. Kitab-al-Mukhtarat fi-al-tib. Vol IV. New Delhi: CCRUM. 2007.

Arzani A. Tibb-e-Akbar. Deoband: Faisal Publications. YNM.

. Anonymous. Waja'al-Mafāṣil. Standard Unani treatment guidelines for common disease. Vol.1. New Delhi: CCRUM. 2014.

Lauche R, Cramer H, Choi KE, Rampp T, Saha FJ, Dobos GJ, et al. The influence of a series of five dry cupping treatments on pain and mechanical thresholds in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain- a randomised controlled pilot study. BMC Complement Altern. Med 2011;11(63):1- 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-11-63

Sheikh Haneef Mohammad. Therapeutic evaluation of Ḥijāmat Bish Shart in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis. New Delhi: Faculty of Medicine (Unani), Jamia Hamdard, 2012.

Ehsan Ahmad. Ḥijāmat bishShurt in combination with Unani formulation for Waja ulMafasil. New Delhi: Department of Moalijat (Medicine), Faculty of Medicine (U), Jamia Hamdard, 2006.

Mir RA, Nayab M, Mir UY, Ansari AN. Preventive and Therapeutic values of Leech Therapy: A Review. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics, 2024;14(8):183-189 https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v14i8.6709

Hildebrandt JP, Lemke S. Small bite, large impact-saliva and salivary molecules in the medicinal leech, Hirudomedicinalis. Naturwissenschaften. 2011;98(12): 995-1008. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-011-0859-z

Grunner OC. The Canon of Medicine of Avicenna. London: First Book, Luzac& Co., 1930.

Zaidi SMA, Jamil SS, Sultana A, ZamanF, Fuzail M. "Safety and efficacy of leech therapy for Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis using Indian medicinal leech. Indian J. Tradit. Knowl. 2009; 8 (3):437-442.

Michalsen A, StefanieK, Lüdtke R,Moebus S, Spahn G, Dobos GJ. Effectiveness of Leech Therapy in Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.Ann Intern Med. 2003 Nov 4; 139(9):724-730. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-139-9-200311040-00006

Tabri R. Firdous-ul-Hikmat. New Delhi: Idarar Kitab-ulShifa. 2010.

Ibn Rushd. Kitāb al-Kulliyāt (Urdu translation by Siddique MA). Lahore: Maktaba Daniyal. 2017.

Nafis B. Tarjumawa Sharah Kulliyat-i-Nafsi (Urdu translation by Kabīr-al-Dīn HM). New Delhi: Idara Kitabus-Shifa. 1994.

Sīnā I. Kulliyā-ī-Qānūn (Urdu translated by Kabīr al-Dīn HM). New Delhi: Ejaz Publishing House. 2006.

Sinha AG. Principles and Practice of Therapeutic Massage. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd. 2004.

Mazhar H, Shah TPK.The General Principles of Avicenna's, Canon of Medicine, Pakistan: Naveed Clinic.1998.

Mohammad Kabiruddin. Al-Quarabadeen. 3rd Ed. NewDehli: CCRUM. 2006.

Mohammad Kabiruddin. Bayaze Kabeer. New Dehli: Idara Kitab-us-Shifa. 2010.

Anonymous. Qarabadeene Majidi. New Delhi: All India Tibbi Conference Ajanta offset & Publication. 1996.

Khan JA, Ilaj Bit Tadbeer: Aligarh.2011.

Hamid A. Ilaj-bil-tadbeer (regimental therapy): A noble method of treatment in Unani medicine: A review. Int. J. Med. Res. 2018;3(3):01-6.

Raheem A, Nazli T, Saeed A, Alvi R, Kalaivani M. Effectiveness of Fire Cupping (Ḥijāmah Nariya) versus dry warm Fomentation (Takmeed Yabis) in Chronic Neck Pain - A Randomized Control Trial. J Integ Comm Health.2019; 8(1): 21-32. https://doi.org/10.24321/2319.9113.201904

Brosseau L, Robinson V, Pelland L, Casimiro L, Milne S, Judd M, Wells G, Tugwell P, Shea B. Efficacy of thermotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis. Phys. Ther. Rev. 2002 Mar 1;7(1):5-15. https://doi.org/10.1179/108331902125001752

Mansoor A. Ghina Mana (Urdu translation by Kantoori GH). New Delhi: CCRUM; 2008.

Razi MZ. Kitab al-Mansoori (Urdu translation by CCRUM). New Delhi: Dept. of AYUSH, Ministry of H & FW, Govt. of India; 2002.

Meraj, M., M.I, A.R., Khan, N.A., Husain, S. and Khan, N. 2024. Successful Management of Waja'al-Rukba (Knee Osteoarthritis) with Unani Pharmacopeial Poultice: A Case Study. International Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 5, 2 (Sep. 2024), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.46797/ijacm.v5i2.596

Meraj, M., Rehman M.I., A., Khan, N.A., Husain, S. and Khan, N. 2024. A Comprehensive Review of Insomnia and Its Regimenal Management in The Unani System of Medicine. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 14, 5 (May 2024), 158-162. https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v14i5.6562

Meraj, M., M.I, A.R., Khan, N.A., Husain, S. and Khan, N. 2024. Utilization of unaniregimenal therapy for the management of insomnia: a rapid scoping review. World Journal of Current Medical and Pharmaceutical Research. 6, 2 (Jun. 2024), 18-23. https://doi.org/10.37022/wjcmpr.v6i2.325

Khan, N., Ahmad, I., Anees, A., Khan, N.A. and Meraj, M. 2024. Mizāj (Temperament) in Unani Medicine: Scoping Review Elaborating the Historical Context and Contemporary Relevance. Journal of Innovations in Applied Pharmaceutical Science (JIAPS). 9, 2 (Aug. 2024), 17-28. https://doi.org/10.37022/jiaps.v9i2.595

Published

15-10-2024
Statistics
Abstract Display: 152
PDF Downloads: 124
PDF Downloads: 19

How to Cite

1.
Furquan A, Begum M, Ahmad E, Meraj M. Unani Regimenal Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis (Waja ‘al Rukba): A Comprehensive Scientific Assessment. J. Drug Delivery Ther. [Internet]. 2024 Oct. 15 [cited 2025 Jan. 21];14(10):175-81. Available from: https://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/6855

How to Cite

1.
Furquan A, Begum M, Ahmad E, Meraj M. Unani Regimenal Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis (Waja ‘al Rukba): A Comprehensive Scientific Assessment. J. Drug Delivery Ther. [Internet]. 2024 Oct. 15 [cited 2025 Jan. 21];14(10):175-81. Available from: https://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/6855