Alcoholic Hepatitis - Concept and Management in Unani Medicine: A Review

Abstract

Alcoholic hepatitis is a much more severe lesion than alcoholic fatty liver and is often a precursor to the development of cirrhosis. Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death in the world. It is associated with many short term and long term liver damage. The association between alcohol intake and alcoholic liver diseases are well known documented. Alcohol consumption exceeding 60 -80 gm/ day in men and 20 gm/day in women increases the risk of liver disease. If we trace back the genesis of this problem we came to know that the ancient Unani scholars were well acquainted with the basic concept of this disorder. Warm KabidHarSafravi as described in literatures are supposed to be caused due to excessive alcohol consumption. The symptom and signs of alcoholic hepatitis are abdominal pain, anorexia, low grade fever, nausea, vomiting, enlarged liver, yellow coloured urine, breathlessness etc depending upon the site of involvement. The full picture of a flori d, acute alcoholic hepatitis is relatively rare. There are all gradations of severity. The hepatitis may be separate or can be combined with an established cirrhosis. Despite the advancement in modern pharmacotherapy, the figure in terms of remission of disease, withdrawal symptoms and adverse side effects grossly suggest the limitation in its management.