Herbo-mineral and biological resources used for fumigation therapy in siddha medicine: Systematic review

Fumigation therapy is a one of the types of treatment in Siddha medicine, which using medicinal smoke for cure and prevent the diseases. It has been used for decontamination of the environment, infected area and also treating diseases like arthritis, sinusitis, terminal stage of piles and respiratory disorders. However, extensive use and scientific validation of fumigation remains limited. The highlights of this review are focused on the Herbal, Metal, Mineral and Biological resources on fumigation therapy with scientific validation that are extensively employed as a medicinal raw material in Siddha Medicine
A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and which incorporates studies from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and reputed Siddha journals. Clinical and preclinical studies, case reports and original Siddha texts were consulted to establish the pharmacological significance of fumigation therapy.
The presence of significant bioactive compounds, such as volatile oils, chavicine, α-pinene, β-sitosterol, flavonoids, terpinoids, thymol, terpenes, phenolic compounds like γ-terpinene, polypeptides, proteins, muscone, musclide, steroids like muscopyridine and cyclohexadecanone, shows the significant therapeutic potential these components hold. These bioactive compounds exhibit diverse pharmacological activities that are beneficial for treating a wide range of disease conditions, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. These actions show very good effect in infections control, reducing inflammation, enhance the healing of chronic wounds and subside the respiratory diseases.
In addition to these therapeutic properties, fumigation therapy has been exhibited for its positive impact on mental well-being and public health. Fumigation helps to reduce environmental decontamination, which not only use in maintaining hygiene but also has a preventive and curative role in healthcare. It is useful for promoting health by reducing microbial activity and improving quality of air, which is essential in areas with high disease burden.
This systematic review concludes that fumigation therapy significantly enhances promotion of health, prevention and cure of disease. Integrating scientific validation with siddha concepts gives an opportunity to improve evidence-based medical practices and interventions and contributing to better public health outcomes.