Department of Tahaffuzi wa Samaji Tib (Preventive and Social Medicine), National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
J Vector Borne Dis. 2024 Jul 1;61(3):315-326. doi: 10.4103/JVBD.JVBD_173_23. Epub 2024 Sep 21.
Vector-borne diseases pose substantial global health challenges, with a notable impact on India. Effective vector control strategies are crucial to mitigating these diseases as there are no effective vaccines available. Synthetic chemicals are widely used but concerns about safety and environmental impact have prompted exploration of alternative natural solutions. Unani medicine offers a potential source of natural products. This study aims to systematically review classical Unani texts and contemporary scientific literature to evaluate the vector control potential of Unani medicines.
A comprehensive review of classical Unani texts was carried out to compile data on herbal and mineral substances suggested in Unani medicine for control of insects. Furthermore, electronic databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were explored for research studies evaluating the insect repellent, larvicidal, and insecticidal activities of the Unani medicines. Time restriction was not imposed to ensure comprehensive retrieval of pertinent and up-to-date information.
From classical Unani texts, 29 drugs were identified for control of insects, primarily of plant origin from diverse botanical families. Recent scientific investigations have confirmed the insect-repellent, insecticidal, and larvicidal activities of 19 of these Unani medicines against various insect species, including mosquitoes.
These findings underscore the potential of Unani medicines as a natural source for vector control. However, further research is essential to explore mechanism, delivery methods, and optimal concentrations for developing effective vector-control formulations.
虫媒传染病对全球健康构成重大挑战，印度受其影响尤为显著。由于目前尚无有效的疫苗，因此采取有效的病媒控制策略至关重要。合成化学品的应用广泛，但人们对其安全性和环境影响的担忧促使人们探索替代的天然解决方案。顺势疗法医学提供了一种潜在的天然产物来源。本研究旨在通过系统综述经典顺势疗法文献和当代科学文献，评估顺势疗法药物在病媒控制方面的潜力。
对经典顺势疗法文献进行全面综述，以汇编顺势疗法中用于控制昆虫的草药和矿物质物质的数据。此外，还探索了 PubMed、Google Scholar 和 Science Direct 等电子数据库，以寻找评估顺势疗法药物的驱虫、杀幼虫和杀虫活性的研究。未对时间进行限制，以确保全面检索到相关和最新的信息。
从经典顺势疗法文献中确定了 29 种用于控制昆虫的药物，这些药物主要来源于不同植物科的植物，具有天然来源。最近的科学研究证实了其中 19 种顺势疗法药物对各种昆虫物种（包括蚊子）具有驱虫、杀虫和杀幼虫活性。
这些发现强调了顺势疗法药物作为病媒控制天然来源的潜力。然而，需要进一步研究来探索机制、传递方法和最佳浓度，以开发有效的病媒控制制剂。
