Abstract

THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF NIGELLA SATIVA (A UNANI DRUG) COULD BE HELPFUL IN THE PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENT OF COVID 19- A REVIEW

*Shagufta Parveen and Jamal Akhtar

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. As of until 30, March, 2020 30,105 death and 638,146 confirmed cases had been reported worldwide. At present there is no specific medicine for newly discovered coronavirus. It has become responsibility of the researchers of traditional systems to take serious steps in search of safe therapeutic approaches for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19.) The Unani System of medicine is one of the oldest system of Medicine. The Unani ancient physicians described about the pandemic disease in their classical books. They have also mentioned the management and prevention and drugs for sanitizations during pandemic disease further they have also described the quarantine concept in their ancient books. There is no specific treatment for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) till date. There are strong possibilities that some drugs of natural origin, either from plants or minerals or animal origin would prove effective enough in the management of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). There are plentiful Unani drugs which have been proved as antiviral and immunomodulators in Vitro and Vivo studies. Kalonji (Nigella sativa) is one of such drug which have been reported as antiviral and immunomodulators, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory and immune-system effects through its components. In this review, we summarize the role of Unani drug N. Sativa on health and possible prophylactic treatment of Coronaviruses disease COVID -19.

Keywords: Kalonji; COVID-19; Unani Medicine; antiviral; immunomodulators.