PRE-CLINICAL SECTION

The RRIUM Srinagar launched an intramural research project in 1995 titled “Toxicological and Clinical Evaluation of Unani Drugs”. This initiative marked the beginning of the Pre-clinical research program at the RRIUM, Srinagar. The pre-clinical section is crucial in the foundation phase of scientific research in Unani medicine. This section is primarily involved with the research being done to understand the safety/toxicology and pharmacology of drugs used in the Unani system of medicine. This section was upgraded in the year 2012 by joint funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Central Council of Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) for the project entitled “Establishment of National Facility for Pre-Clinical Safety Evaluation of Unani Drugs”. The facility was equipped with high-end instruments for pre-clinical studies. The pre-clinical section comprises; 

• Toxicology & Pharmacology Laboratory 
• Histopathology Laboratory 
• Animal house 

The Toxicology / Pharmacology Laboratory section carries out biochemistry, haematology, urine analysis, and other tests as part of general toxicity evaluation in small animals. The histopathology laboratory deals with the necropsy, tissue weighing, grossing, tissue processing, embedding/impregnation, and section cutting, followed by the microscopical evaluation. The animal house/holding facility is equipped for small animal experimentation, with separate arrangements for quarantine, experimentation rooms, a dosing room, and a necropsy room. 

 The pre-clinical section is managing the Animal Institutional Ethical Committee (IAEC) of RRIUM Srinagar, which is registered with the Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), Govt of India, since  2006 with IAEC No.  927/GO/Re/S/2006/CPCSEA. All the animal experimentation is being done after approval from the IAEC of RRIUM, Srinagar.  

 Various preclinical-research projects have been conducted in this section, with a good number of publications. Studies on many Unani formulations have been completed in this section, which include: Studies on the Unani antipyretic drug, Qurs-e-Mubarak, results of the study have been compiled in the form of a monograph entitled Toxicological and Clinical Evaluation of Qurs-e- Mubarak; Work on other formulations as Capsule Mubarak, Qurs-e- Surfa, Qurs-e- Fakhruddam, Capsule Hudar, and UNIM-352 (coded antiasthmatic patented drug)  has also been completed. Studies on Capsule Hudar have been compiled in the form of a monograph. These studies have now become a regular program of the Council and the allotted oral toxicity studies (acute, subacute, subchronic, and chronic) are being carried out in the unit. The pre-clinical toxicity/safety and efficacy studies are being conducted following the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Schedule Y, and Ayush guidelines. The section is also involved in the PG program of the institute, where MD Unani (Ilmul Advia) students carry out their research projects and avail the lab facilities as required. The unit has established active academic collaborations in different areas of Research with reputed scientific institutions and universities. Out of the work done under the collaborations, eight Ph.D and Eleven M.Phil degrees have been awarded. A large number of papers have been published in Impacted Research Journals of International repute from this section. 

 

 

 

Year-wise CCRUM allotted studies conducted in the section are; as, 

  

 

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