European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THERAPEUTIC ROLE OF ARAGONITIC OTOLITH (SANG-E-SAR-E-MAHI) FOR NEPHROLITHIASIS IN UNANI MEDICINES

Garima Singh*, Shoeb Ahmed Ansari and Asma Sattar Khan

ABSTRACT

Nephrolithiasis or kidney stone is one of the most common health issues affecting approximately 15 % of the world population. In India alone, about 2.3% population is affected by kidney stones. The formation of stone is a complex process and its aetiology depends on several factors including drinking too little water, obesity, high salt or sugar intake. As per mineral composition, there are various types of kidney stones but the most common type is calcium oxalate. The kidney stones vary in the size from as small as grain to as large as a golf ball. The treatment and prevention of recurrence of kidney stone have always been a challenge for humans. The Unani system of medicine contains a number of formulations which are quite useful in the of treatment of kidney stones. Most of these formulations contain one major ingredient namely Sang-e-Sar-e-Mahi (Otolith). Otoliths are believed to have lithotriptic properties and hence remains part of various traditional medicines as lithotriptic agent. Otoliths are found in the inner ear cavity of all teleost fish and serve as a balance organ and also aid in hearing. They are composed of mainly calcium carbonate with minor proportion of other elements such as iron, potassium and silica. The current study aims to explore the role of otoliths in the treatment of kidney stones in Unani system of medicine.

Keywords: Otoliths, Nephrolithiasis, Sang-e-Sar-e-Mahi, Calcium carbonate.