Objective: Obesity is a growing global public health concern, significantly contributing to the onset of comorbid conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory problems, and psychological issues. In Unani medicine, several formulations have been proposed for managing obesity, but they have not been scientifically investigated. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy of two Unani formulations in treating obesity.
Materials and Methods: A randomized, single-blind, comparative clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients diagnosed with obesity. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: a test group (n=30) and a control group (n=30). The test formulation, Safoof Darchini, and the control formulation, Safoof Muhazzil, were administered as powders at a dose of 5g twice daily after meals, accompanied by warm water, for a duration of 90 days. Both groups were assessed fortnightly. The effect of the formulations was evaluated based on objective parameters such as weight, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), and lipid profile, with assessments before and after the intervention. Statistical methods were used to analyze the outcomes.
Results: After 90 days of treatment, significant improvements were observed in weight, waist circumference, BMI, and lipid profile (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The results of this clinical trial indicate that Safoof Darchini is as effective as Safoof Muhazzil in managing obesity. While both formulations showed effectiveness in treating mild to moderate obesity, neither was effective in cases of morbid obesity. This study demonstrates that both formulations are effective and safe for managing obesity. However, larger studies with more robust designs are needed to generalize these findings.