The Beginning

Following the natural rules of survival and instinct, man made use of all available nature and fauna which resulted in curing, sometimes no result yielded and sometimes it resulted in death.

Persons acting as physicians or guide were much respected and were even given the status of ‘a god’. As time passed, search for new herbs was intensified and numerous groups at different places were formed. Accordingly, different branches dealing in particular ‘system’ of treatment came into existence in China (Chinese Medicine), Egypt (Egyptian Medicine), Iran (Iranian Medicine), Italy (Roman Medicine) and India (Ayurveda). One such system of medicine was also formed in Greece (Unan). Great and renowned physicians did further research work in this field as a result of that, a permanent branch of Tibb (system of medicine), widely known as the UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE, came into existence. Hippocrates (Buqrat, 460-377 BC), a Greek physician who is also known as the Father of Medicine, further developed this branch of knowledge. For treating the patients, he specially built a compound where patients declared ‘uncurable’ used to be under his treatment. Besides, people from distant places also used to come to him to learn this art (Unani System of treatment).

The system progressed like this. Eminent personalities like Aristotle (Arastu), Galen (Jalinus, 131-210 AD), Ibn Betar (Ibn Baitar) made an entry in this domain and their successors were Zakarya Razes (850-925 AD) and Avicenna (980-1037 AD). Since these physicians had done all the work and rendered their services purely on humanitarian ground for the ailing humanity, they secured all their knowledge and experience in books for their successors.

What is Unani System of Medicine?

Unani system is based on the Hippocratic theory that a perfect balance of ‘arkan’ (elements), ‘akhlat’ (humours) and ‘mizaj’ (temperament) helps in keeping the body and mind healthy. Every individual has an inherent power of self-preservation called the ‘Quwat-e-Modabira’.
The theory pre-supposes the presence of four humours in the human body ‘dum’(blood), ‘balgham’ (phlegm), ‘safra’ (yellow bile) and ‘saoda’ (black bile).
‘Dum’ comprises all red fluids of the body, while all colourless fluids are classified under ‘balgham’, similarly yellow fluids are ‘safra’ and black fluids are ‘saoda’.
The ‘mizaj’ (behavioural pattern) of a person is expressed by the preponenderance of a particular humour.
Unani medicine assigns the following four temperaments: 'Damvi' (Sanguine or plethoric), 'Safravi' (Choleric or bilious), 'Balghami' (Cold or Phlegmatic) and Saodavi (Melancholic).
A distinctive feature of Unani medicine is the emphasis on diagnosing disorders primarily through the ‘nabz’ (pulse). The physicians also resort to pathological tests on ‘baul’ (urine) and ‘baraz’ (stool).