Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (Ziabetus shakri) is one of the most common non-communicable diseases. According to IDF there were 366 million people with diabetes in 2011, and this is expected to rise to 552 million by 2030. It has been established that diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder, arises when pancreas fails to secret enough insulin or when body cannot effectively use the insulin produced or both. The scientific basis of diabetes has evolved over centuries; it was long thought to be caused by kidney disease. In Unani system of medicine ancient scholars like Galen, Avicenna, and Rhazes attributed the development of diabetes to the weakness of kidney (Zauf-e-Kuliya). The fundamental concept of Quwah (power) in Unani medicine further emphasized the role of metabolism in the aetiology of the disease. A number of herbal remedies and their formulations have been mentioned in classical Unani text for the effective management of diabetes. Dam-al-Akhwain (Pterocarpus marsupium) is one of them, traditionally used for the treatment of intestinal abrasion, spasmodic pain, haemorrhage, diarrhoea, dysentery, helminthiasis, inflammation, wounds, ulcers, boils, sore etc. It has been in use for the treatment of Zauf-e-Kuliya; the primary cause of diabetes as per Unani system of medicine. Several pharmacological and clinical studies have been carried out advocating the role of Pterocarpus marsupium in diabetes mellitus. It was found to have anti-hyperglycaemic, β cell regenerative, hepato-protective, cardio tonic, anti-diarrhoeal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-hyperlipidemic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-allergic and memory enhancing activities. These findings validate the claims of Unani scholars regarding the potential uses of Dam-al-Akhwain laid down in classical text. Therefore it may be concluded that Dam-al-Akhwain (Pterocarpus marsupium) is not only effective in the management of diabetes but also offer solutions for a variety of disorders like obesity, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, chronic inflammation, allergic disorders, peptic ulcer disease and carcinoma etc.