NABEEZNABEEZ: A MOST EFFECTIVE & : A MOST EFFECTIVE & IMPORTANT DOSAGE FORM OF UNANI IMPORTANT DOSAGE FORM OF UNANI MEDICINE; A NEED & MODIFICATION OF MEDICINE; A NEED & MODIFICATION OF

TECHNOLOGY IN UNANI PHARMACY TECHNOLOGY IN UNANI PHARMACY

Dr Abdul LatifDr Abdul LatifDeptt. Of Ilmul Advia, F/O Unani MedicineDeptt. Of Ilmul Advia, F/O Unani Medicine

A.M.U., AligarhA.M.U., Aligarh

Historical Background: Nabeez is actually an Arabic word employed

to a special form of medicinal/nutritional liquid preparations obtained by the fermentation of sweet aqueous solutions of various food grains, fruits and medicinal ingredients for a specific period of time.

It is considered as one of the initial forms of compound drugs formulated in the earlier days of Unani medicine.

• The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Arabs and Persians had prepared various forms of Nabeez and used them for medicinal and nutritional purposes.

• The famous Roman Physician Rufus (100AD) in his manuscript “Risala Nabeez” later translated in to Arabic by Qusta bin Luqa in 9th Centaury AD has described properties and uses of Nabeez along with its socials and cultural importance in their time.

• Earlier Indian Physicians like Sharif Khan, Azam Khan, Mohd Husain, Najmul Ghani and Ajmal Khan have mentioned various Nabeez formulations in their respective Pharmacopeias and used as refreshing sexual and digestive tonic which also promote the general health.

• The Ayurvedic medicine has the pride possession of different types of Asava and Arishta as the counterparts of Nabeez.

Arishta / Nabeez Arishta are the Ayurvedic medicinal liquid

preparations obtained by keeping the kasaya (decoction) of the drugs in the form of a solution of sugar or jaggery in a container (pot) for a specified period of time during which it undergoes the process of sandhana (Fermentation). After the completion of fermentation the solution is decanted and after another or three days it is stained and then preserved for use.

Asava / Darbehra• Asava are also similar to Arishta with only the

difference that here in avasa the cold infusion of the drugs is used to make the solution with Sugar, Jaggery, Honey etc. and then fermented according to the texts. All other processes are same as in Arishta.

• Fermentation is a complex biochemical phenomenon brought about by various microorganisms which results in to the breakdown of the complex organic matter in to the simpler/ smaller substances (Sharma B.K.1997).

Purpose of fermentation• To preserve the food or medicines• To make them more effective, Palatable,

nutritious and digestible.• Combination of all above properties.

Present Status of Nabeez • At present the use of Nabeez as a health

supplement is not common in India (Anonymous 1988).

• Only few pharmaceutical companies manufacture the Nabeez but only to add it to some other products to improve their efficacy and potency.

• No prominent Dawakhana is marketing it in the name of Nabeez.

• While in Ayurveda Asava and Arishta similar to Nabeez have greater scope in the market of India.

• The only possible reason for lesser use of Nabeez in Unani medicine in present era seems to be just supposed fear of intoxication which is not based on facts. In fact the properly prepared Nabeez is never intoxicating if used properly in its recommended dose (Latif A. 1997).

Indigenous fermented food products• A large number of indigenous fermented foods

are used in various parts of the world, such as Bouza (from wheat) in Egypt, Chinese yeast (from soyabeans) in China, Mahewu (from maize) in South Africa, Pozol (from maize) in Mexico, Kishk or Kushik (from wheat & milk) in Egypt, Syria and Arab countries.

• In India Idli and dosa (from black gram & rice) Ra’bdi (from maize, butter and milk), Dhokla (from wheat & Bengal gram) and Jalebies and Nan (from wheat flours).

• In day to day life we often come across various forms of fermentation brought about by the agency of living organisms.

• Examples are souring and curdling of milk, conversion of fruit juice in to wines and vinegars, baking of bread etc. (Sharma, B.K. 1997).

Temperament of Nabeez• Although the temperament of Nabeez is

variable depending upon the ingredients present in it, but most of the Unani author believe that majority of Nabeez formulations have hot and moist temperament with variable degree.

• The fresh Nabeez is usually considered to be hot and moist in first degree while the old one has hot & Moist in II degree. (Ghani 1921, M.A. Khan 1898)

Contra indication• The majority of common form of Nabeez

preparations is usually contraindicated for the people having predominantly Saudavi temperament and people who are more prone to suffer from frequent headache and other cerebral diseases.

• Nabeez is also contraindicated in very hot climatic conditions, pregnancy, cancer and presence of inflammatory diseases, and spleenomegaly (Majoosi, 1889, Rhazi 1968, Baitar 1291 H).

Dosage• Dose is variable depending upon

ingredients, environmental conditional and types of diseases. The common dose is 25-50ml.

Different types of Nabeez Various Unani authors have mentioned many types of

Nabeez prepared from different ingredient and they given the relevant information about them such as.

• Nabeez Zabeeb (Raisin/ Mawiz)• Nabeez Asl (Honey)• Nabeez Shakar (Sugar cane juice)• Nabeez Tamar (fresh or dried dates)• Nabeez Teen ( Dried fig fruit)• Nabeez Hintah (wheat)• Nabeez Uruz (Rice)• Nabeez Fawakeh ( Fruit Juices)• Nabeez Shayeer (Barely)• Nabeez Faneez (Jaggery /Qand Siyah)• Nabeez Doshab ( dried extracts of dates)• Nabeez Basar wa balah (immature dates)• Nabeez Narjeel etc.

Method of preparation In general the basic steps involved in the

preparation of a common Nabeez formulation are as under.

Step I- Collection of material • The material should be from authentic source

and of good quality. Step II- Preparation of material• The collected material should be cleaned and

free from unwanted substances and powdered to ease and promote the extraction of active constituents.

Step III- Soaking of solid ingredients in the prescribed solvent

• The powdered ingredients are to be soaked in solvent (usually water) and left for one day and night in summer and for three days in winter (M.A. Khan 1898).

Step IV- Preparation of hot aqueous solution of drugs

• The infused drugs are heated at moderate heat alongwith the prescribed quantity of water to boil until the maximum dissolution of ingredients is achieved and the water volume is reduced through evaporation up to the prescribed proportion.

• Practically the proportion of water and drugs could not be fixed because of grater variations in the nature of drugs however if the Nabeez is to be prepared from the fruits like raisin, dates and figs etc. ancient Unani scholars advise to immerse the drugs in double quantity of water for one day and night and then boil the solution until the volume of water is reduced to its two-third while the scholars of earlier era advise to immerse the drugs in five times water and heat until the water volume is reduced to its half.

Step V- Preparation of containers (fermented vessels)

• In earlier periods the earthen pot smeared with ghee on inner surface were used for fermentation.

• Now a day with the advancement of industrial technology, the earthen pots have been replaced by larger wooden barrels and large metallic and plastic pots taken for this purpose.

Step VI- Fermentation• The prepared solution is transferred to

fermented vessel leaving its upper half portion empty so that it may not over flow when the fermentation takes place. The lids should be closed and placed in direct sunlight for initial few days, it is stirred two to four times a day. When the process of fermentation starts it is left undisturbed but watched closely till the fermentation process is completed.

Duration of fermentation• Different ingredients need different times for their

fermentation.• Nabeez from Cereals need one week for

fermentation.• Nabeez from Raisins need 5-6 weeks for

fermentation (M.A. Khan 1898, Husain 1874, Antaki 1923).

• The duration of fermentation depends upon the nature of ingredients, the climatic conditions and some other microbiological factors.

• Avicena writes in Adviya Qalbiya that the process of fermentation doubles the efficacy and Potency of the product- (Ibn Sina 1986).

Step VIII Collection and preservation of Nabeez.

• After completion of the process of fermentation the semisolids get settled down at the bottom and the clear Nabeez forms the upper liquid portion which is carefully collected in a neat, clean and sterile container by gently decantation. It should be stored at dark, dry and cool place.

Process of fermentation • Louis pausteur (1822) firstly gave the principle of

“No fermentation with out life”.• The term fermentation is derived from Latin

world “fermentare” means “to boil” is applied to the changes brought about by microorganisms where the complex organic matter is decomposed and broken down into simpler and smaller substances.

• Actually the fermentation is not brought by the direct action of the living microorganisms but by the action of enzymes secreted by the yeast cells. The fermentation enzymes mainly Zymase is associated in the yeast cells with another substance called Co-enzyme. The presence of both the Zymase and Co- enzyme is necessary for fermentation (Sharma B.K. 1997).

• When these Zymase enzymes act on sugars found in sweet fruits and other food grains, they decompose the glucose in to alcohol and CO2

C6 H12 O6 Zymase 2C2 H5OH+ CO2

(Ethyl alcohol) – (Carbon dioxide)• This reaction was formulated by Guy-

Lussaca in its present form in 1815 (Schiagel, 1995).

• It is important to know that all types of sugars can not be fermented by the enzyme Zymase. Cane sugar, beat sugar, and malt sugar or maltose is not fermentable with Zymase. But still these sugars are fermented by the addition of yeasts into the solutions of these sugars.

• In this case the fermentation taken place due to the fact that apart from Zymase, the yeast calls also secrete some other enzymes like the Intertase and Maltase.

• Invertase beings about the conversion of cane sugar (sucrose) into glucose and fructose by a process known as hydrolysis.

Invertase• C12H22O11 + H2O C6H12O6 + C6H12O6

(Sucrose) (Glucose) (Fructose)

• Similarly the enzyme Maltase converts the maltose into glucose by hydrolysis.

Maltase• C12H22O11 + H2O 2C6H12O6

(Maltose) (Glucose)

• The starch from rice, wheat, barley, maize, etc. also can be converted into fermentable sugar by hydrolysis in presence of enzyme Dieastase which is contained in the malt naturally.

Diastase Maltase

2(C6H10O5)5 + nH2O nC12H22O11 + H2O

(Starch) (Maltose) Zymase

2C6H12O6 4C2H5OH + 4CO2 (Glucose) (Ethanol)

(Sharma, B.K. 1997)

• A final net balance of entire fermentative system can be expressed as:

1 Glucose 2CO2 + 2ATP + 2 Ethanol

(Reed & Rehm, 1983)

Factors affecting the rate and course of fermentation

• Temperature• Concentration of the solution• Aeration of the solution• Sugar concentration• Inoculation of yeast• Presence of preservatives and pesticides residues• Presence of other microorganisms• pH of the solution• Presence of chemical activators• Ethanol concentration• CO2 pressure• Viscosity of the solution