Roghan Mālish ‘A Topical Formulation’ Attenuates Joint Pain, Down-Regulates C-Reactive Protein Level and Improves Quality of Life in Patients with Waja‘ al-Mafāṣil (NUMC: L-4) (Arthralgia) – A Pilot Clinical Study

Abstract

Roghan Mālish is a cost effective topical application recommended for joint pain management. This prospective pilot study evaluated the safety, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effect of Roghan Mālish in patients with arthralgia to validate the therapeutic claim and generate evidence for further studies. The study was conducted in patients with joint pain as chief complaint, with or without swelling and morning stiffness. The study was approved by Institutional ethic committee prior to initiation. Patients were advised to apply Roghan Mālish (2.5 mL/joint) followed by gentle massage in circular motion for 5 mins twice daily for 14 days. The efficacy was calculated from the reduction in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), C-Reactive Protein (CRP) level and improvement in Quality of Life Scale (QOLS). Relevant pathological and biochemical indices and the observation of adverse events were used to evaluate the safety. A total number of 58 patients completed the trial with the mean age of 46.2 years and the majority (70.7%) being female. The overall therapeutic response was 93%. A significant (P<0.05) decrease in VAS score and CRP level, and significant improvement in QOLS was observed after treatment with Roghan Mālish. No significant difference in pathological and biochemical indices was observed before and after treatment. Roghan Mālish was well tolerated upon topical application with no any undesirable side effects. The study results indicate that the topical application of Roghan Mālish is safe and may be used successfully to treat arthralgia.