BARA? (VITILIGO) IN UNANI MEDICINE AND CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE: AN OVERVIEW

Mozakkir Husain*, Qamar Uddin and Munawwar Husain Kazmi

ABSTRACT

Baraṣ (Vitiligo), sometimes referred to as leukoderma (from the Greek words leuco meaning white and derma meaning skin) is an acquired, chronic depigmenting disorder of the skin and/or mucosa, characterized by milky white, non-scaly macules and/or patches with distinct margins, and caused by destruction of melanocytes in lesional skin. According to Unani Medicine, Baraṣ (Vitiligo) is a white discolouration of the skin, which is caused by the weakness of Quwwat Mughayyira (transformative faculty), cold impaired temperament of organs, or it may be congenital. About 1-2% of the world's population, or 40-50 million people, have vitiligo. Vitiligo appears to be more common in people with certain autoimmune diseases. These patches are more common in sun exposed areas, including hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. Other common areas for white patches to appear are the armpits, groin, around mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, and genitals. Vitiligo generally appears in one of three patterns. In one pattern (focal pattern), depigmentation is limited to one or only a few areas. Some people develop depigmented patches on only one side of their bodies (segmental pattern). But for most people who have vitiligo, depigmentation occurs on different parts of the body (generalized pattern). In addition to white patches on the skin, people with vitiligo may have premature greying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard.

Keywords: Bara?, Leukoderma, Unani, Segmental Vitiligo, Non-segmental vitiligo.