Farzana Muzn’s scientific contributions

Unani healing system employs a holistic approach in prevention and treatment of diseases. This system of medicine emphasizes six essentials prerequisites (Asbab-e-Sitta-e-Zarooriya) that have been laid down for the promotion of health and prevention of disease. Among them food is one of the prerequisites. Ancient Unani physicians gave much importance to diet in both health and disease. In recent years, public awareness of health benefits of functional food and nutraceuticals has been expanded in prevention of risk of developing diseases and improvement in overall health. Therefore, there is a need for solid information on functional food and nutraceuticals to better inform health professionals and the public about these foods. This literary research is aimed to give enlightenment on Unani concept of Ghiza (Diet) with special reference to its nutraceuticals and functional perspective. Data was gathered from Unani classical texts, scientific journals and internet. The gathered data was analyzed and the results showed that the terminology and definitions for nutraceuticals/functional foods are inconsistent worldwide, and there are no international standards for regulation of nutraceuticals/functional foods to serve as baselines. However, the Unani medicine has given a clear idea on classification and role of food which could be enlighten the modern terms nutraceuticals and functional foods for the better utilization in both health and disease.

Background: Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after at least one year of unprotected intercourse. It is a complex disorder with significant medical, psychosocial, and economic problems. In about one third of couples are infertile. Approximately 167 million married women aged 15-49 years in developing countries were infertility. The present study aimed to determine the most common causes of female infertility in patients who visiting the National Ayuvedic Teaching Hospital, Borella, Sri Lanka. Methods: In this study 635 infertile (primary and secondary) women were selected to determine the causes of infertility. The subjects were selected from the gynecology clinic, between the periods of February 2015 to March 2016. The data were gathered using a questionnaire; and after that proper statistical method was applied to analyze the data. Results: From the results age between 28-37 years (37.16%) are more prevalent to infertility and the causes of infertility are mainly due to anovulatory cycle (31.18%) and menstrual irregularities (19.21%). BMI also one of the significant cause for infertility. Conclusion: Therefore, identifying the risk factors and proper treatment on time along with policy makers providing facilities to resolve the infertility could possible diverse this alarming increasing trend of infertility.

REVIEW ARTICLE ABSTRACT Breast milk has been considered as the " gold standard " of infant nutrition in world wide. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to six months as the normal infant feeding method. Prolactin is the hormone responsible for the production of milk. Though many women can produce enough milk to meet their infant's demand, there are mothers who cannot produce sufficient milk for their infants. This is the most common reported reason for early cessation of breastfeeding. To overcome this condition, galactogogue are the medications that could assist in increasing the production of milk, however they posses their own hazards. There are many herbal preparations which help to increase the breast milk secretions and also there are various ethnic groups have their own special foods that are thought to enhance the milk production. This kind of knowledge of galactagogues is passed down from generation to generation. Therefore the aim of this review is to gather such knowledge especially as mentioned in the Unani authentic texts. Further, this article will deal the ancient physiological concept of mudir e laban (galatogogue) in the light of available new information and to appraise the effects of herbs with an objective to update the current knowledge regarding the use of herbal galactogogue in the management of qillat e laban (Insufficient breast milk secretion). From this study it was revealed that the most of the galactogogues mentioned in Unani classical texts have been scientifically proved through in vitro and in vivo studies. Also, efficacy of certain galactogogues has been proved by randomized clinical trials. There are some more galactogogues which mentioned in Unani classical texts which should be proved scientifically vis randomized clinical trial to provide effective, better-quality and safer drugs without distorting the Unani concepts.

Khatmi (Althaea officinalis), commonly known as Marsh Mallow is one of the important medicinal plant used in Unani medicine. Khatmi is a perennial plant with light brown coloured, long and thick root, ovate-cordate, slightly toothed leaves and pale pink or pale purple coloured flowers. Root, leaves, flowers and seeds are mainly used in medicine. All the parts contain mucilage. It is having emmollient, analgesic, astringent, haemostatic, expectorant, luxative, cleansing, demulcent, concoctive, diuretic, emmenagogue, anti-inflammatory and exhilarant properties. In Unani medicine, Khatmi has been used for several centuries to treat inflammatory disorders like metritis, enteritis, mastitis, arthritis, colitis, bronchitis, gastritis, etc. It also has been used for other ailments like catarrh, renal calculai, pityriasis, tremor, dysuria, dysentery, haemoptysis, whooping cough and many more. Though, this plant is used for many varieties of disease, very few actions of this plant have been proven scientifically. Hence, this review will help to conduct scientific studies in unexploited potencial of this plant.

Breast milk has been considered as the "gold standard" of infant nutrition in world wide. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to six months as the normal infant feeding method. Prolactin is the hormone responsible for the production of milk. Though many women can produce enough milk to meet their infant's demand, there are mothers who cannot produce sufficient milk for their infants. This is the most common reported reason for early cessation of breastfeeding. To overcome this condition, galactogogue are the medications that could assist in increasing the production of milk, however they posses their own hazards. There are many herbal preparations which help to increase the breast milk secretions and also there are various ethnic groups have their own special foods that are thought to enhance the milk production. This kind of knowledge of galactagogues is passed down from generation to generation. Therefore the aim of this review is to gather such knowledge especially as mentioned in the Unani authentic texts. Further, this article will deal the ancient physiological concept of mudir e laban (galatogogue) in the light of available new information and to appraise the effects of herbs with an objective to update the current knowledge regarding the use of herbal galactogogue in the management of qillat e laban (Insufficient breast milk secretion). From this study it was revealed that the most of the galactogogues mentioned in Unani classical texts have been scientifically proved through in vitro and in vivo studies. Also, efficacy of certain galactogogues has been proved by randomized clinical trials. There are some more galactogogues which mentioned in Unani classical texts which should be proved scientifically vis randomized clinical trial to provide effective, better-quality and safer drugs without distorting the Unani concepts.