Why Unani Medicine Essential &Important?
The word 'Unani' is derived from a Greek word 'Ionian'. 'Tibb' means
the knowledge of the state of the human body in health and illness.
Unani medicine strives to find the best possible ways by which a person
can lead a healthy life. The Unani system of medicine is one of the
oldest and most acceptable systems of medicine practiced in India and in
many parts of the world.Hippocrates practiced it over 2500 years ago.
Unani Medicine includes a great deal of ancient Egyptian medicine
as well as important components of the ancient Mesopotamian traditions.
Thus, it can be said that many aspects of Graeco-Arabic Medicine are
even more than 6000 years old.Graeco-Arabic Medicine is being practiced
as a traditional medicine in Europe,the Middle East and the Asian
subcontinent. In the Middle East and in the Asian Subcontinent,
Graeco-Arabic Medicine continues to serve millions of people as
traditional medicine. Further, as modern medicine also originated from
the ancient Graeco-Arabic medicine, hence new scientific concepts can
readily be integrated into its practices. Thus, Graeco-Arabic Medicine
has great potentials for the future health care.
The first physician of the system was Asclepedeus who established
few principles of medicine.Hippocrates put forward the Humoral theory,
which formed the basic framework of Unani medicine. His era marked the
beginning of the Golden Period of the Unani system of medicine. He
also initiated the concept of hospital and built the first hospital of
the world in Hamas (Egypt) after travelling around the globe to find a
suitable place.
Another renowned physician was Galen who played a major role in
propagation of the system far and wide.A few important texts of the
system include Kitab-ul-Hashaish (1st Century B.C), Kamil-Us-Sana (10th
century A.D.), Canon of Medicine (11th century A.D).
The Unani pharmacopoeia Committee was constituted in
1964,consisting of Unani experts and scientist with a view to maintain
uniformity in the standards of drugs and to prescribe standards for
compound formulations and for identity, purity, efficacy and quality of
the drugs. Pharmacopoeial Laboratory of Indian Medicine at Ghaziabad was
established under Government of India to workout standards and drug
testing for Indian System of Medicine at national level.Central Council
of Indian Medicine, a statutory body was established for laying down
standards and for maintaining uniform standard of education in the
Indian System of Medicine including Unani and to regulate the practices
in Indian System of Medicine.
In order to develop high standards of education and research in
Unani Medicine at national level a National Institute of Unani Medicine
has been established at Bangalore in 1983 in collaboration with the
Govt. of Karnataka.In addition to these developments Central Council for
Research in Indian Medicine was established in 1969.During 1978 these
Council were bifurcated into separate Central Councils viz Central
Council for Research in Unani Medicine which was established in 1979,
with a view to initiate, guide, aid, develop, coordinate scientific
research in different aspects of fundamental and applied Unani System of
Medicine.
There are 11 Regional Research Institutes, 7 Clinical Research
Units,1 Literary Research Units,2 Survey and Cultivation of Medicinal
Plants Unit,7 Drug Standardisation Research Unit.At present, there are
31 Unani colleges in India offering graduate education and four colleges
offering Postgraduate education.
Umoor-e-Tabiyyah (Basic Components of Life)
The human body is a complex structure comprising of seven Umoor-e-tabiyyah i.e. basic elements. These are Arkan (Elements), Mizaj (Temperament), Akhlaat (Humors) Aza(Organs), Arwah (Pneuma), Quwa (Faculties), and Af’aal (Functions).For
the proper functioning of the body, all the above-mentioned components
should be present and work in coordination with each other.
Ideology
The Unani System of medicine is based on the Humoral Theory. According to it,there are four humors in the body i.e. Dam (Blood), Balgham (Phlegm), Safra (Yellow Bile), and Sauda
(Black bile).These are generated in liver by the nutrient components of
the ingested food and liquids. There is a strong relationship between a
body fluid and its associated humor, so any imbalance in a humor will
also cause changes in the composition and properties of its associated
body fluid.Health is a state of body in which all the humors are in
equilibrium both in quantity and quality ,any alteration in the
equilibrium leads to disease.Unani medicine describes the concept of
Tabiyat (Medicatrix naturae),which is a supreme planner of the body , to
create the healthy environment within the body and prepare to fight
against the disease.If tabiyat is strong, then a man does not suffer from a disease easily, if it weakens, a man becomes prone to disease easily.
Essentials of Health
Unani medicine has also given great importance to the prevention
of the disease and promotion of health than cure.There is an influence
of surroundings and ecological conditions on health of human being.
There are six factors, which are essential for the maintenance of good
health called Asbab-e- Sittah Zaruriah. These essentials are as follows:
1. Hawa-e-Muheet (Fresh Air)
2. Makool-o-Mashroob(Food and Drink)
3. Harkat-wa-Sukoon-e-Badania(Body Movement and Repose)
4. Harkat-wa-Sukoon-e-Nafsania(Mental Movement and Repose)
5. Naum-o-Yaqzah(Sleep and Wakefulness)
6. Ehtibas-o-Istafraagh(Retention and Evacuation)
Diagnosis
Firstly, the practitioner takes a full case history. This has
many aspects, but generally includes observation of the patient under 10
physical parameters of mizaj to determine the Mizaj of an
individual.the physician also observes, the pulse (Nabz),
which often takes a little time, as the physician does not just take the
pulse rate, but also looks for subtle changes in the pulse that may
indicate present or threatening health conditions. In addition, the
practitioner may press reflexes and examine the urine (Baul) and stool (Baraz) of the patient.
Principles of Treatment
In Unani system of medicine, treatment is based on temperament
and humors. In diseased condition,there is imbalance in body temperament
and humors. Therefore, Unani physicians make all efforts for the
correction of temperament and balance in humors. Every humor has a
specific temperament as described earlier e.g. hot, wet, cold, and dry.
So, the drug used for the treatment should posses an opposite
temperament than that of diseased humor, resulting in normalization of
temperament. A disease, which is cold in nature, can be cured by a drug,
which has hot temperament.
Methods of Treatment
Treatment is divided into four parts:
1. Ilaj-Bil-Ghiza(Dietotherapy)-Treatment through Diet
2. Ilaj-Bil-Tadbeer(Regimental therapy)- Treatment through certain procedures, tools and equipments.
3. Ilaj-Bil-Dawa(Pharmacotherapy)- Treatment through Drugs/Medicines, which are of Plant, Mineral or Animal Origin.
4. Ilaj-Bil-Yad(Surgery)- Treatment through Minor /Major Operative Procedures.
Treatment depends on degree of variation from the normal healthy
condition. Dietotherapy is advised if the variation is of low degree,
but if the variation is such that Dietotherapy alone cannot correct it,
then Regimental therapy is advised and in Pharmacotherapy drugs are used
according to the stage of the disease. In addition, Dietotherapy is
also advised along with pharmacotherapy as per the temperament of the
disease to cure the disease in a short period, so, the disease can be
cured easily. Regimental therapy and Surgery are also advised when
Dietotherapy and Pharmacotherapy fail to restore the health of a
patient.
Health Benefits of Amla
