Research and Reviews: Journal of Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy

ISSN: 2394-1960(online)
Volume 3, Issue 3
www.stmjournals.com

Basoor Labniya (Acne Vulgaris) in Unani

Medicine: A Review for its Better Management Strategy
Muzafar D.A. Bhat1,*, Mohd Irfan1, Rabia Malik2
1
Department of Moalejat, National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
2
Department of Ilmul Qabalatwa Amraze Niswan, National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru,
Karnataka, India

Abstract
Acne vulgaris is one of the most common dermatological conditions and appears to have a
considerable impact on quality of life, affecting nearly all adolescents and young adults to
some degree. Acne affects approximately 650 million people worldwide, almost 1 in 10, often
perceived as a self-limited disease of adolescents. Acne is a chronic disorder of the
pilosebaceous glands, manifesting as inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions and has
clear detrimental psychological effects and may lead to permanent scarring. Acne
pathogenesis is complex and multifactorial, with Propionibacterium acnes playing an
important role. In unani system of medicine, acne vulgaris is termed as basoorlabniya,
muhase or kil. The paper will try to attempt to review the concept and details the possible
treatment strategies for acne vulgaris. It will also detail about choosing the best among the
available treatments with justification from unani as well as present perspective.

Keywords: Acne vulgaris, basoorlabniya, unani

*Author for Correspondence E-mail: drmuzaffar79@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION million people worldwide, almost 1 in 10. By

Acne vulgaris is a disorder of pilosebaceous
complex which predominantly affects the
peripubertal population and clinically
characterized by formation of open and closed
comedones, papules, nodules, pustules and
cysts and heals with scars [1, 2]. Acne has
clear detrimental psychosocial effects and may
lead to permanent scarring [3].
2016, the global acne market is estimated to
reach revenues of US$3 billion [5].
Acne vulgaris occurs usually on the face and
to a lesser extent on the back, chest and
shoulders [1, 4, 6]. Occasionally, it is seen on
thighs and buttocks [4, 6] and the distribution
is usually bilaterally symmetrical [6].

Peak severity of acne is in the late teenage
years but it may persist into the third decade
and beyond, particularly in females [4]. Age of
onset of acne is 12–14 years, being earlier in
females and in about 70% of subjects, the
lesions subside in the third decade. Persistence
of lesion into middle age is more common in
females. Acne affects both sexes equally, but
nodulo-cystic acne is almost 10 times more
frequent in males [2].
Acne vulgaris is one of the most common
dermatological disorders which affects an
estimated 85% of teenagers and often
continues into adulthood and 10% of cases
reportedly occurring between the ages of 35
and 44. Acne affects approximately 650
A number of descriptive terms are applied to
clinical variants of acne like conglobata acne
(severe form of acne) [1, 2, 4, 6], acne
fulminans [1, 2, 4], acne excoriee [2, 4],
occupational acne (chloracne) [1, 2, 6],
acneiform drug eruptions [2, 6], tropical acne
[6], neonatal acne [1, 2, 6], cosmetic acne, late
onset acne, acne after facial [2].
In unani system of medicine, acne vulgaris is
termed as basoorlabniya/muhase. The term
basoor is pleural of basra which means very
small boil defined as eruptions on nose and
forehead, which resemble a milk drop and
when press, which releases matter as a
condensed roghan [7]. According to Arzani,
muhase are white eruptions on nose and

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Management Strategy for Basoor Labniya
forehead, resembling a drop of milk, so named
due to its resemblance [8]. Whereas Sina
described that basoorlabniya are white
eruptions on nose and cheeks, resembling a
condensed drop of milk and cause is ma’adda
sadidiya (infected matter) which is removed
on the external surface of skin in the form of
vapours [9].
Tabri described a type of basoor on face called
zeezan [10]. Baghdadi described that the
basoorlabniya are white eruptions on face
which are caused by small amount of peep
(pus) expelled out towards the skin [11].
Males are mostly affected specially during
puberty [8].
ETIOPATHOGENESIS
The precise etiology of acne is unknown but
several pathogenic mechanisms involving
occlusion of pilosebaceous orifice, increased
sebum secretion seems to be responsible [1, 2,
4]. These pathogenic mechanisms are
aggravated by sex hormones like androgens
and progesterone, colonization of
Propionibacterium acnes [1, 2, 4], Malassezia
furfur, Staphylococcus epidermidis, results as
inflammatory response. Some other factors
which aggravate acne are diet rich in fats and
starches, constipation, sedentary life, excessive
use of greasy cosmetics, detergents,
psychogenic stress and genetic factors [2, 6].
In unani system of medicine, the etiology of
this disease is considered to be
Ma’addasadidiya (infected matter) which is
removed in the form of vapours towards
external surface of skin [9] or fasidma’adda
which is separated from blood and removed
through skin [12]. It is also thought that these
eruptions are seen on the external body when
tabiyat removes humours towards the skin
from the body and given different names
according to different sites of eruptions [13].
Boil or basoor are of different types. These
swellings are classified in various types
depending upon the involvement of humours
(dam, balgham, safra, sauda) or reeh [12, 14,
15].
These swellings may be hot or cold in
temperament. Har (Hot) swellings are caused
by the intemperament of harkhilt (matter) or
due to sue mizaj of other khilt. Hot swellings
RRJoUSH (2016) 1-5 © STM Journals 2016. All Rights Reserved
Bhat et al.
are classified according to the nature of
morbid material. Disturbance of khilt dam
(blood) as phlegmonous (phalgamoni) and of
the bilious humor as erythematous (hamrah),
and term their combinations as phlegmonous
erythema (Phalgamonihamrah) and
erythematous phlegmon (hamrahphalgamoni)
according to the dominant humor. Other
swellings which are not har are caused by
sauda, balgham (phlegm), fluid, and reeh [14].
The other factors which are responsible for
basoorlabniya are indigestion, blood
impurities, use of hot and spicy foods,
constipation, sudden stoppage of blood in
piles, disturbance of menstrual cycle and
pregnancy [16–18].
These basoor are given different names like
when the eruptions are limited to face and
nose, white in colour, without itching, they are
called as basoorlabniya. The name of basoor is
given according to the site like basoorsadagh
(temporal region), basoorbatmiya (calf region),
basoorbalkhiya (periphery of heart) etc.
According to involvement of humors they may
be called damwi (phalghamooni), safrawi
(hamrah, jamrah, namla), balghami (oedema),
saudawi (saleel, asqeeroos). Depending on
size, saleeladsiya (pulses like) and basoorsigar
(small basoor). Depending on time it is called
banatul-lail (shara at night) [12].
Clinical Features
Eruption in acne is polymorphic, characterized
by comedones, papules, pustules, nodules and
cysts, all seen in the same patient at the same
time [1, 2]. Comedones are pathognomonic
lesions and recognized as two main types like,
open and closed comedones. Open comedones
(black heads) are due to plugging by keratin
and sebum of the pilosebaceous orifice and
closed comedones (white heads) are due to
accretions of sebum and keratin deeper in the
pilosebaceous duct [2, 4]. Open and closed
comedones are non-inflammatory lesions
whereas papules, pustules, cysts and nodules
are inflammatory lesions [1, 3]. Lesions of
acne usually heal with scaring like depressed
and rolling scars [2].
Comedone formation is intrinsic to the
diagnosis of acne vulgaris, when not clinically
apparent; consider alternative diagnosis like
rosacea, folliculitis, angiofibromas, perioral
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Research and Reviews: Journal of Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy
Volume 3, Issue 3
ISSN: 2394-1960(online)
dermatitis and keratosis pilaris. The patient’s
age may also help to distinguish these
disorders from acne. keratosis pilaris and
perioral dermatitis tend to present in
childhood, whereas rosacea tends to affect
older adults [3].
Acne vulgaris is categorized broadly into mild,
moderate and severe forms on the basis of
treatment strategies. Mild acne is typically
limited to the face and is characterized by the
presence of non-inflammatory closed and open
comedones with few inflammatory lesions.
Moderate acne is characterized by an increased
number of inflammatory papules and pustules
on the face and often truncal diseases. Finally,
acne is considered to be severe when nodules
and cysts are present. In these cases, facial
lesions are often accompanied by widespread
truncal disease [3].
Basoorlabniya are small eruptions, hard and
red [16–18] or white in color [11, 16, 17]
which are found on face, chest, neck, back
[16–18], nose [16] and most common in adult
age [16, 18] or usually 16–25 years of age
[17]. When eruptions become mature then
removal of kil and small amount pus [16, 18]
results in depressed scarring, if ma’adda did
not remove then it results in black scarring
[17].
Management
The treatment of acne is not satisfactory,
because there is no specific remedy in modern
medicine [6]. But some drugs are used as
systemic and topical. Systemic drugs are
antibiotics (Doxycycline, minocycline,
erythromycin, azithromycine), harmone
therapy in females (cyperoterone acetate,
ethinyl estradiol, spironolactone), isotretinoin.
Topical drugs are retinoids (retinoic acid,
adapalene, isotretinoin, tazarotene), benzoyl
peroxide, clindamycin, erythromycin, azelaic
acid. Physical therapies like intralesional
corticosteroids, cryotherapy, laser therapy and
photodynamic treatment are also used for
treatment of acne [1, 2, 4]. Treatment should
be designed to target precursor lesions
(microcomedones) and active inflammatory
lesions. Milder cases are best managed with
topical regimens, whereas systemic drugs are
indicated in more severe cases [3].
RRJoUSH (2016) 1-5 © STM Journals 2016. All Rights Reserved
In unani system of medicine, many herbal
drugs have been mentioned which are useful in
the treatment of this disease. These drugs are
considered safe and do not have any major
side effects. The basic line of treatment
(usoolilaj) of acne is:
Izalasabab (Elimination of Cause)
 Evacuation of phlegm from body [8] or
evacuation from body and brain [7, 16, 17]
by habbeayarij [7] or post haleelazard,
aftimoon, ustukhuddus, gulebanafsha,
bisfaij, ailwa, ghriqoon, honey as joshanda
[17].
 Correct the digestion [17–19].
 Correct menstrual abnormalities [16, 18,
19].
Ilaj bit-Tadabeer
Fasd (venasection), zemad, tila are useful for
its treatment.
 Zemad
o Arad karsna with shahad (honey).
o Mirdar sang with sirka.
o Ash of wood of grapes with sirka [7, 8].
o Nakhudbaryan (6 gm), mirdar sang (3 gm)
and safedakashghiri (3 gm) along with
milk of goat [16, 18].
o Husn yusuf (6 gm),
tukhmkhashkhashsafed (6 gm) and
darchini (6 gm) along with milk of goat,
applied on the face at night and wash in
morning by aabbarghina or kateera, post
bazaimurgh, arad jao, arad baqla, arad
nakhood, arad turmus, arad adas,
nishashta, maghz badamsheeren (every
6 gm), and maghz tukhmkharpaza (12 gm)
along with water or arad baqla,
tukhmkhashkhashsafed, arad turmus,
maghz tukhmkharpaza, maghz badamtalkh
(every 6 gm), saffron (3 gm) along with
water [19].
o Kharbuqsafed (one part) and ersa (half
part) along with roghangul in the form of
latookh or mirdar sang and booraharmani
along with roghangul or kalaonji with
sirka [11].
 Fasd like fasdsararoo (fasdqeefal) is
advisable if damwikhilt is dominant [16,
18] or first give joshandaaftimoon and
then habbeayarij for some days or at least
one or two mild mushil given, then use
musaffiyat like
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Management Strategy for Basoor Labniya
Arqmurakkabmusaffikhoon, sharbatunnab,
majoonushba, itrifalshahitra [16, 18].
 Use of ghizalateef and easily digestible
foods and avoidance of sour, sweet,
saqeelghiza (delayed digestible foods) and
hot spicy things, wine [16–19].
Ilajbil-Dawa
Use drugs which are jali (detergent), musaffi
(blood purifier) [17], mohallil (resolvent),
tajfeef (dessicant) [9, 11, 17].
 According to Sina, the drugs used for
treatment of Basoorlabniya which possess
tajfeef and tahleel properties like
kharbuqsafed (one part) and ersa (half
part) in form of latookh or use powder of
injeer and kalaonji (Nigella sativa) along
with sirka [9].
 Mufrad Drugs (Single drugs) used for
management of acne:
 Jali (detergent) like arad karasna, post
baize murgh, istakhwansoakhta,
qaimuliya, arad baqla, kalaonji,
kharbuqsafed, beekhsoosan [7].
 Muhallil (resolvent) like alsi, khatmi,
methi, masoor.
 Musaffi-ud-dam (blood purifier) like
shahitra, unnab, ushba.
 Murakkab Drugs (Compound drugs) used
for management of acne:
 Musaffi-ud-dam like majoonushba,
itrifalshahitra, arqmurakkabmusaffikhoon,
sharbatunnab [16, 18, 19].
 Zemad/tila like tila-e-muhasa [16, 17, 19],
tila-e-soosan [17], zemadmajli, dawa-e-
muhasa [16].
According to Arzani, the line of treatment of
acne is evacuation of body and brain by using
Habbeayarij. And then wash the face by jali
(detergent) drugs like arad karasna, post
bazaimurgh, istakhwanisokhta, qaimuliya,
arad baqla. If there is no relief, then use local
application on affected part as zemad like
kharbuqsafed and beekhsoosan along with
sirka or alsi, gulesurkh and kalaonji with sirka
[7].
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28p.
Bhat Muzafar DA, Mohd Irfan, Rabia
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