Central Research Institute for Unani Medicine (CRIUM) is embarking on a prestigious research project to prove the superiority of leprosy treatment as per unani system of medicine over the conventional allopathic treatment. The institute is to join hands with Hyderabad based Sivananda Rehabilitation Home for Leprosy for carrying out the research. The project is awaiting sanctions before the scientific advisory committee in Delhi and is to be cleared during the next sitting of the committee scheduled within a month's time.

Even as it takes almost five years for a leprosy patient to be cured through conventional treatment mode, it needs just two years in Unani for complete cure. The research project is attempting scientifically validate this superiority unani treatment has when it comes to leprosy treatment.

CRIUM sources informed pharmabiz.com that under unani system of treatment, medicines are not administered for each and every patch that appears on the skin. 'It is a holistic mode of approach. On the contrary, allopathic doctors give patch wise doses. It takes more time and is painful to the patient also. Our research would focus on this aspect and prove Unani treatment is much faster and effective', they explained.

The leprosy research just one among the six research proposals that are planned by the institute for the near future. A major research tie-up with National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH), Hyderabad, for scientific validation of the effectiveness of unani treatment in mental patients is among the important research proposals pending before the committee for clearance. Epilepsy is another disease where CRIUM is determined to prove the effectiveness of unani treatment. The institute would also undertake research on various complicated skin diseases like Psoriasis shortly. The institute has a proven track record of having effectively treated hepatitis cases also.

In an attempt to boost the export prospects of unani drugs, the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) and CRIUM has already launched a project to patent the process of the entire unani medicines presently available in India. Sources informed that the research work is progressing and it would take months before the project is to achieve desired results.

CRIUM earned worldwide fame for the successful treatment of Bars (Vitiligo), had always been in news with some breakthroughs in research and development. The development of formulations to treat tuberculosis is one among the recent research project successfully undertaken by the institute. Over years, the centre has been able to provide effective medicines for leucoderma, paralysis, filariasis, sinusitis, nervous and cardio-vascular diseases and ailments of the gastro-intestinal tract. Its 'Heart Project' has also received much appreciation.

The center functions in a massive complex which houses a 100 bedded hospital with full fledged laboratories in pathology, bio-chemistry, pharmacology, chemistry, pharmacognosy and unani pharmaceutical divisions, X-ray unit with a big 800 MA X-ray plant. The pharmacy of the institute is well equipped with machineries for tablet coating, strip packing and tube filling and pulverising machines. It is engaged constantly in preparation of polypharmaceutical kit and research drugs, which are been supplied to other 35 units/institutions working under the Council all over India as well as to be the out-patients and in-patients of the institute including seven Drug Standardisation Research Units, eleven clinical research units and seven Regional Research institutes.