EFFICACY OF POLYHERBAL UNANI INTERVENTION IN MANAGING METABOLIC DYSFUNCTION-ASSOCIATED STEATOTIC LIVER DISEASE (MASLD): A CASE REPORT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22178732Keywords:
MASLD, Waram al-Kabid Balghami, Unani medicine, Hepatoprotective drugs.Abstract
Background: MASLD is defined as the presence of excess triglyceride storage in the liver in the presence of at least one cardiometabolic risk factor. The term MASLD comprises different conditions, including isolated liver steatosis (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver, MASL), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), as well as fibrosis and cirrhosis. MASLD is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, yet no FDA-approved pharmacotherapy exists for its management. Unani medicine, with its rich pharmacopoeia of hepatoprotective and metabolic-regulating herbs, offers a potential therapeutic avenue. This report presents a case study of MASLD with significant liver stiffness that responded favorably to a polyherbal Unani regimen. Case Description: A 40-year-old woman with Transient Elastography (Fibroscan) confirmed MASLD presented with right hypochondrial pain, anorexia, insomnia, paresthesia, and fatigue. She was treated with a polyherbal Unani formulation for eight months, alongside lifestyle advice. Post-treatment, she showed complete clinical recovery and a marked reduction in liver stiffness on repeat Fibroscan. Liver enzymes normalized, and no adverse events occurred.
Conclusion: This case suggests that polyherbal Unani therapy may reverse fibro-inflammatory changes in MASLD, potentially offering a safe and effective alternative. Rigorous clinical trials are warranted to confirm these observations and establish standardized protocols.
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