Effect of Polyherbal Unani Drug in Rheumatoid Arthritis (Waja‘al-Mafāṣil) Management: A Case Study

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune, chronic systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by symmetric polyarthritis of small joints of hands and feet, and extra-articular manifestations. Despite a wide range of treatments available in the conventional system of medicine, there is no cure for RA. An acute flare of RA occurs after cessation of medications and the disease remains incurable. In the Unani system of medicine, RA has been described under a broad term of Waja‘al-Mafāṣil. Several systemic and topical Unani drugs are effectively used in the management of Waja‘al-Mafāṣil (RA). The present case study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a polyherbal Unani drug Qurs-e-Mafāṣil in the management of RA. A 35-year-old female patient diagnosed with RA based on the 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis was treated with Qurs-e-Mafāṣil for 4 weeks. The patient showed a significant reduction in pain on the VAS score, and DAS28 was also reduced from 5.51 (high disease activity) at baseline to 2.62 (low disease activity) after treatment. The Unani drug, Qurs-e-Mafāṣil was found safe and effective in the treatment of RA.