Efficacy of Majoon e Gheekawar in the treatment of Waja ul Mafasil Rukbah (knee osteoarthritis): A pilot study

Abstract

Waja ul Mafasil Rukbah, a term for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in Unani medicine, is a leading cause of mobility limitation among the elderly. According to Unani principles, KOA pathology stems from an imbalance of humoral temperament and the accumulation of morbid matter in the joints. The primary goal of treatment is to restore balance and eliminate these morbid materials. This study investigates the effectiveness of Majoon e Gheekawar, a traditional Unani compound formulation, for treating KOA. The formulation consists of Maghz-e-Gheekawar (pulp of Aloe vera), Sheer-e-Gao (cow's milk), and Qand Safaid (sugar). In this pilot study, six patients with KOA were administered 5 g of Majoon e Gheekawar orally twice daily for four weeks. The primary outcomes—pain, function, and mobility were assessed using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), active and passive range of motion, and the 10-meter walking test. Paired t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-treatment data. Significant improvements were observed across all outcome measures. The mean KOOS pain score decreased from 29.0±2.76 to 13.17±2.14 (p<0.001), and the total KOOS score improved from 138.0±7.8 to 64.0±8.10 (p<0.001). Significant improvements were also found in VAS scores, active and passive range of motion, and walking time when compared to pretreatment data. This study demonstrates that oral administration of Majoon e Gheekawar significantly relieves the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. These promising results provide a strong basis for further research into this traditional Unani formulation as a potential treatment for KOA.