Effectiveness of Unani regimen in management of over active bladder: An open labelled, single arm clinical study

Purpose: To study the efficacy of Unani pharmacopoeial formulations viz Jawarish Zarooni, Majoon Kundur and Arq e Badiyaan as a treatment regimen in patients of overactive bladder and evaluate its effect on their quality of life. Materials and Method: This open labeled, single arm clinical study was conducted at Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine (RRIUM), Srinagar. Patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study after signing the informed consent form. Jawarish Zarooni and Arq e Badiyaan were prescribed orally in the dosage of 7g and 30 ml respectively twice a day along with 7g single oral dose of Majoon Kundur. The duration of treatment was for 82 days. The patients were followed up on first, fourth, eighth and twelfth week. The results were expressed as Mean ± SEM. Symptomatic relief was assessed as percentage change in terms of presence of any symptom at baseline and at 82nd day. Results: Of the 36 patients enrolled 31 patients completed the study. The study demonstrated highly significant results (p<0.001) for nocturia and QOL as measured by patients perception of bladder control (PPBC), urinary incontinence and daytime micturation whereas very significant results were observed (p<0.01) for urgency. Conclusions: The Unani regimen was highly effective in managing the symptoms of OAB as the regimen has an array of phyto-constituents which demonstrated muscuranic antagonism, Ca2+ channel blocking, K channel opening, neuro-protection, neuro-toning and anxiety relieving properties. About 50% of the ingredients of the regimen were Ca2+ blockers. The synergism of these phyto-constituents probably made Ca2+ blockers effective in OAB. Keywords: Over Active Bladder, Ca2+ blocker, antimuscuranics