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Unani System of medicine as the name suggests owes its origin to Greece. Imbibing what was best in the contemporary system of traditional medicines prevailing in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Persia, India, China & other Middle East & Far East countries had immensely enriched Unani system. It had also got benefited from the native medical system or folk medicine in practice at that time in various parts of central & southern Asia. That is why this system is known in different parts of the world with different names such as Greco-Arab medicine, Ionian medicine, Arab medicine, Islamic medicine, Traditional medicine, Oriental medicine etc. |
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In India, the Arabs had introduced Unani system of medicine and soon it had found its roots in the soil. When Mongols ravaged Persian & central Asian cities like Shiraz, Tabrez, and Geelan, scholars and physicians of Unani medicine had fled to India. The Delhi sultans, the Khiljis, the Tughlaqs and the Mughal emperors provided state patronage to these scholars and physicians and even enrolled some of them as state employees and court physicians. During the 13th & 17th centuries Unani medicine had its hey-day in India. Among those who made valuable contribution to the system in the period were, to name only a few, Abu Baker Bin Ali, Usman Kashni, Sadruddin Damash Qui, Bahwa Bin Khwas Khan, Ali Geelani, Akbar Azazani and Mohd Hashim Alvi Khan. |
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Unani system is based on the Hippocratic theory that a perfect balance of "Arkhan" (elements), "Akhlat" (humor) and "Mijaz" (temperament) helps to keep the body and mind healthy. Every individual has an inherent power of self-preservation called the 'Quwat-e-Modabira'. The theory pre-supposes presence of humors in the body-"Dum" (blood), "Balgam"(phlegm),"Safra" (yellow bile) and "Soada" (black bile). This system aims at restoring the equilibrium of various elements and faculties of the human body. It has laid down six essential pre-requisites for the prevention of diseases and places great emphasis on the maintenance of proper ecological balance on one hand and keeping water, food and air free from pollution on the other. These essentials, known as 'Asbab-e-Sita-Zarooriya, are air, food, water and body movements and response, sleep, wakefulness, excretion and retention. |
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Treatment in the Unani system of medicine is done mainly through diet control for simple diseases in the initial stages followed by the administration of single drug, failing which compound preparations may be administered. The various treatments are "Ilajbit-tadbeer"(regimental therapy) "Ilajbit-Ghiza"(Dieto therapy), "Ilajbit-dawa"(Pharmoco therapy) and "Jarahat" (Surgery). In Pharmoco therapy, the physicians use naturally occurring drugs, mostly herbal. The advantage with naturally occurring drugs is that most of these do not have any side or negative effects. |
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