Vol. 8, Issue - 3, Part B (2024)

Background: Unani System of Medicine (Greco-Arabic Medicine) is rooted in centuries-old traditions, boasts a rich pharmacopoeia of medicinal plants renowned for their therapeutic properties. Yet, within this system, controversies abound regarding the identities of certain botanical entities. These controversies, arising from nomenclatural ambiguities, taxonomic revisions, and regional variations, challenge the very foundation of Unani pharmacology. In this article, we delve into the nuanced landscape of controversial identities surrounding Unani medicinal plants, supported by pertinent references from scholarly literature.

Materials and Methods: The classical Unani literatures and various scientific journals indexed in PubMed, Medline, Science Direct, SCOPUS, Google scholars and Research gate pertaining to drug identification and adulterations, ethnobotanical survey, pharmacological actions etc. were reviewed.

Result: This review study has revealed that for better and effective treatment the controversies surrounding the identities of medicinal plants needs address the complexities inherent in integrating tradition with modern technology and should be incorporated with Unani literature for identifying the effort to investigate substitutes of rarely available and high-cost Unani drugs through pre-clinical, clinical and phytochemical studies to avoid adulteration and intermixing of drugs,

Discussion: The unavailability of many Unani drugs poses significant challenges. Factors such as geographical variation, over-exploitation of resources, and the growing human population contribute to this issue. This should be address by innovative solutions, scientific validation of drug substitution, by researching and confirming the efficacy of medicine and alternative Unani ingredients.

Conclusion: While challenges exist in the realm of Unani medicine, opportunities for innovation and sustainability are abundant. Prioritizing scientific validation, identification and focusing on drug substitution, we can address the pressing issues of availability and conservation, ultimately enriching the practice of Unani medicine for future generations.