ABSTRACT

Background: Nazla and Zukām are commonly used interchangeably in contemporary usage; however, Unani medicine distinguishes between them on the basis of their pathophysiology and clinical presentation. Zukām primarily refers to nasal inflammation and discharge, whereas Nazla describes the downward flow of morbid matter from the head towards the throat and respiratory passages. Tiryaq-e-Nazla is a classical Unani compound formulation traditionally used in the management of Nazla and associated upper respiratory manifestations.

Objective: To evaluate symptomatic improvement following treatment with Tiryaq-e-Nazla in patients presenting with rhinitis and rhinosinusitis.

Materials and Methods: A single-arm, open-label clinical study was conducted at Majeedia Hospital, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. Patients presenting with clinical manifestations corresponding to rhinitis and/or rhinosinusitis were treated with Tiryaq-e-Nazla. Clinical symptoms and response were assessed during follow-up and categorized as good, satisfactory, no response, deteriorated, inconclusive, or recurrence.

Results: Of 323 registered patients, 155 were documented as treated, including 43 with coryza/acute rhinitis, 79 with chronic rhino-sinusitis, and 33 children with sinusitis. Among patients with chronic rhino-sinusitis, maxillary sinus involvement was documented in 48 cases. Progressive improvement was recorded during follow-up. In chronic rhino-sinusitis, the response progressed from no response in the first week to fair response in the second week and good response during the third and fourth weeks. After three months, good or satisfactory improvement was documented in several associated symptoms, including nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, headache, mouth breathing, sneezing, facial pain, nasal dryness, and constitutional symptoms.

Conclusion:Tiryaq-e-Nazla was associated with symptomatic improvement in patients presenting with rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. These preliminary findings support further controlled clinical evaluation using validated symptom scores and objective sinonasal outcome measures.

Keywords:Tiryaq-e-Nazla; Nazla; Zukām; rhinitis; rhinosinusitis; Unani medicine; symptomatic improvement.