Dermatophytosis and Quba: Integrating Unani and Modern Medical Insights: A Narrative Review

Author(s): Mubasheera Begum, Habibullah V, Dua harmain, Nusrath Thasneem, Musaddiq Ahmed, Hafsa Patel, Mufasira Fathima, Bibi Aqila, Mohamed Nizamuddin, Farzana anjum, Firdhaus rumana

Dermatophytosis, or ringworm is known as Q?b? in Unani medicine, is a highly prevalent and recurring fungal infection caused by fungi named dermatophytes (Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epidermophyton), which affects 20–25% of the global population, especially in humid, regions like Asia and Africa. The infection especially lead to keratinized tissues of skin, hair, and nails, manifested as tinea corporis, capitis, cruris, pedis, or unguium especially leads to keratinized tissues of skin hair and nails, manifested as tinea corporis, capitis, cruris, pedis, or unguium, with concerns over chronic, recurrent, and antifungal-resistant cases, especially in India. This narrative review aims scientifically the unani medication in dermatophytosis through Unani and modern medical perspectives, through holistic way it validates the etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnostics, and treatments of unani medicine. Q?b? is caused by humoral imbalances, specifically morbid black bile (Sawd?) and phlegm (Balgham), treated with herbal and Herbo-mineral formulations, blood purifiers externally and internally in modern and unani there are similar clinical symptoms like redness ring circular patches and external risk factors like poor hygiene, humidity. Clinical studies suggest Unani treatments, such as Qurs-e-Asfar and Rogan-e-Narjeel, are more effective as conventional antifungals with lesser side effects, offering effective remedies for resistant cases .Future research may focus on standardizing Unani formulations externally and internally, validating their mechanisms, and conducting large-scale trials to integrate Unani and modern approaches Clinically, Unani therapies may be used as safe medication , particularly for antifungal resistant dermatophytosis.