Animal Experiments and Unani System of Medicine (A Review)
Animal Experiments
Animal Experiments
The terms animal testing, animal experimentation, animal research, in vivo testing, and vivisection have similar denotations but different connotations. Literally, "vivisection" means the "cutting up" of a living animal, and historically referred only to experiments that involved the dissection of live animals. The term is now used to refer to any experiment using living animals; for example, the Encyclopedia Britannica defines "vivisection" as: "Operation on a living animal for experimental rather than healing purposes; more broadly, all experimentation on live animals. For others, the word has a pejorative connotation, implying torture, suffering, and death. The word "vivisection" is preferred by those opposed to this research, whereas scientists typically use the term "animal experimentation. (1)
Animal Models
An animal model is a non-human animal that has a disease or injury that is similar to a human condition. These test conditions are often termed as animal models of disease. The use of animal models allows researchers to investigate disease states in ways which would be inaccessible in a human patient, performing procedures on the non-human animal that imply a level of harm that would not be considered ethical to inflict on a human.
In order to serve as a useful model, a modeled disease must be similar in etiology (mechanism of cause) and function to the human equivalent. Animal models are used to learn more about a disease, its diagnosis and its treatment. For instance, behavioral analogues of anxiety or pain in laboratory animals can be used to screen and test new drugs for the treatment of these conditions in humans. (2)
History of Animal Experiments
The earliest references to animal testing are found in the writings of the Greeks in the second and fourth centuries BCE. Aristotle (Arastu) 384-322 BCE and Erasistratus (304-258 BCE) were among the first to perform experiments on living animals. Galen (Jalinoos), dissected pigs and goats, and is known as the "father of vivisection. (3)
Applied Research
Its aim to solve specific and practical problems compared to pure research. which is legally academic in origin and usually carried out in the pharmaceutical industry or by universities and commercial partnership these are applied may be in early stage in the drug discovery process.(1) In USM animal experiments are the used for validation of Unani drugs for their therapeutic effect and toxicity.
The branches of animal experiments are:
Genetically Modified (GM) research
Drug testing
Disease testing
Product safety test
Weapon research
Genetically Modified (GM) research
GM animals are bred every year these animals have genes added, removed or altered in mimic different human disease such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes and asthma.
Drug Testing
New medicine or herbal medicines (e.g. ISM) are first tested on animals and if it causes any harmful side effect, then these are called safety or toxicity test.
Disease Research
Try to recreate human illness in animals to find out the cause and to study the pathological processes, by using chemical, physical method to produce human like disease condition.
Product Safety
Animals are used in toxicity test that are designed to assess the safety of agriculture house cleaning products and cosmetics.
Weapon Research
Animals are used for weapon testing exposing to poison, chemicals, gases, viruses and other weapon testing.(1)
Limitations of Animal Experiments
Artificiality of laboratory- induced disease much more common practice of animal experiments. It is produced by chemical or mechanical mean (5) but there are same limitation regarding the animal experimentation due to different anatomical structure and physiological processes and it is not always true that a drug is toxic in animals may be toxic in human or vice versa
Difference in Anatomy and Physiology
One of the major obstacle in performing of Animal experiments is because of other species have much more different characteristic with human. In Unani system of medicine, it is clearly mentioned that all species, race, sex, and organ have different level of individual characteristics regarding to the Mizaj (temperament).thus the mystery behind failure of animal experiment can easily solve with the help of basic concepts of USM. As the animates are the ultimate resultant of chemical reaction in series from simple compound. In the process of evolution compounds are formed by the interaction of Arkan (fire, air, water, and earth) were not stable and thus reacted themselves forming more and more complex molecules which leads to emergence of life.(6). In basic fundamentals of USM is that all Mauled-e-Salaasa (zoological, botanical and geological) was formed by Arkan (the basic elements). (7)
As animates ascended the ladder of evolution, the structure become more and more complex and so was their temperament. The most developed organism i.e. man holds a temperament entirely different from all other creatures. In animates, species differ in their structural set up which is determined by their specific genetic profile and so other temperament and every offspring shares the temperament of species to which her parents belongs, moreover, she also remains within confines of the temperamental range of her parents. (6) Because of the greater range of flexibility man's temperament is considered to be most equable and appropriate and thus termed as Mizaj-e- Ashraf( best of temperament) (6)
Every drug has its own temperament and it acts according to its mizaj. Ancient Unani physicians discussed it very extensively that everything which is introduced in the body it acts in three ways; 8
1) Fail-Bi-Unsur (with matter)
2) Fail-Bil-Kaifiyat (with temperament)
3) Fail-Bil-Johar (with specific substance) (8).
USM temperament of every particular individual, species, race, have their own kind of Mizaj and it is defined as the resultant quality that comes out from interaction amongst the constituents of a compound. Classification of Mizaj can be attributed to temperament, which is of tow type
A. Mizaj Motadil (Equable temperament) which is also of two kind the first is Haqeeqee (Ideal) and Tibbi (Existing). Haqeeqee is nonexistent because the conditions for all participating constituents and qualities will not same in anytime so this kind of temperament is not possible whereas mizaj-e-motadil tibbi component are not perfectly equal in their qualities and quantities yet are much more balanced and beneficial for organism.
B.Mizaj Ghyr Matadil (Inequable temperament) this kind of temperament is found in disease like condition, when body internal environment is unstable by external or internal factors.
Mizaj-e-muatadil tibbi (existing temperament) 8 in types:
1) Mizaj-E-Muatadil Nau'vi Bil Qiyas Ellal Kharij (Equable temperament of species as whole).
2) Mizaj-E-Muatadil Nau'vi Bil Qiyas Ellal Dakhil (Most equable temperament of a member species).
3) Mizaj-E-Muatadil Sinfi Bil Qiyas Ellal Kharij (Equable temperament of race).
4) Mizaj-E-Muatadi Sinfi Bil Qiyas Ellal Dakhil (Equable temperament of member of a race).
5) Mizaj-E-Muatadil Shakhsi Bil Qiyas Ellal Kharij (Equable temperament of an individual as whole).
6) Mizaj-E-Muatadil Shakhsi Bil Qiyas Ellal Dakhil (Equable temperament of an individual during youth).
7) Mizaj-E-Muatadil Uzwi Bil Qiyas Ellal Kharij (Equable temperament of an organ).
8) Mizaj-E-Muatadil Uzwi Bil Qiyas Ellal Dakhil (Equable temperament of an organ in physiological state).(8)
So when a disease or therapeutically active substance introduced in creature it will vary due to different kind of Mizaj.(7) that's why the failure rate is very much high in the field of medicine.
Anatomical difference between human and animal play a significant role in animal experiments. e.g. if we compare the neuroanatomy of human cortex, which has 10x the surface then the rhesus monkey(9) and with encephlization factors, the human is much ahead of any other species of earth.(10). Some of the historical evidences showing that there is no co-relation between etiology and pathology. e.g. correlation between cigarette smoking and lung cancer had already been shown in human patients by 1963, experiments failed to produce lung cancer in animals (11) and also failure rate of animal experiments was reported that number of treatment effective in animal stroke models were more than 700 and number of these treatment tested in human clinical trials was more than 150 and number of these that have proved effective for human were surprisingly zero. (12)
In Unani system of medicine, there are so many evidence based trials, which have been conducted by various Hakims, known as Mujarrb (clinically experimented). It can be used directly in clinical trials, in spite of conducting animal experimentation for validation, as many ancient physicians mentioned it in their books. e.g. Sheikh described, "I have written all compound drugs (Qarabadeen) in the 5th volume of this book (Al-Qanoon) which are experimented (Tajarba) in various diseases".(13) The other major problem occurs in USM is that the drug are used in single and compound formulation, which is too bulky and very difficult to feed animals especially small animal. So for the convenience, the drugs are extracted in various solvent, but there is no such evidence that extracts of herbal drugs in any solvent possesses complete constituent of drug.
Alternative to Animal Experimentation
Computer modeling
Epidemiological survey
Human Cell and tissue culture
Clinical trials
Conclusion
Animal experiments had enlightened the field of medicine by its contribution but when current trends have shown that animal experiment fail to express the complete desired result. When animal experiments are conducted in ISM, it is very important that these systems should re-look their philosophy for new drug discovery, validation of their drugs and alternative of animal experiments. But regarding to toxicological study animal experiment better option for alternative system of medicine and for this purpose it should be conducted for safety and efficacy of drug.
Reference
Animal Model; (2/02/2009) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_model
Animal Testing; (2/01/ 2009) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_testing
History of Nonhuman Animal Research; http://www.lpag.org/layperson/ layperson. Html#1
History of Herbal Traditions; http://www.indianherbs.org/ayurveda.ht
Robert A. turner; (1995); Screening in Pharmacology, vol.I, Academic press, New York
Zaidi I.H, Zulkifle. M, Ahmed S. Naseer (1999); Teperamentology Department of kulliyat AMU, Aligarh, 4-10
Hamdani H. Kamaluddine; (1998) Usool-e-Tibb, Qumi council bari faogh Urdu, Delhi, 43
Ibn Sena (1930) Kullyat Qanoon, vol. I Munshi Naval Kishor Publication ,Lucknow
Akhtar Aysha MD; httpwww.pcrm.org DoctorsForumold344,12,Ethical Concerns with Animal Experiments
10. Evolution of the Brain and Behavior, http://www.sinauer.com/detail.php?id=7059
11. Animal testing a placebo for conscience; http://www.dur.ac.uk /animal. Rights/vivisection/ 256,1,ANIMAL TESTING
12. Macleod, MR; (2006)1,026 Experimental treatments in acute stroke, Annals of Neurology,
Volume 59 Issue 313. Bin Sean (1998); Al-Anon Fill Tabb, Mushy Naval Kosher Publication , Lucknow
Animal Experiments and Unani System of Medicine (A Review)
By: Dr.Vijay Bhan Singh
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