Public health approach of Unani medicine to cope and stay safe in hot environmental conditions

Tariq Nadeem Khan; Malik Itrat; Tasfiya Hakeem Ansari

doi:10.1515/jbcpp-2020-0296

Article

Public health approach of Unani medicine to cope and stay safe in hot environmental conditions

Tariq Nadeem Khan , Malik Itrat and Tasfiya Hakeem Ansari

Published/Copyright: March 15, 2021

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From the journal Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Volume 33 Issue 3

Abstract

The rising episodes of deadly heat waves have intensified the need for a heat protection strategy. The Unani system of medicine offers ways to stay healthy in different climatic conditions. Hence, this article aims to discuss the applicability of health protection measures suggested by Unani scholars for hot weather conditions in the light of current researches. The manual literature survey of classical Unani texts was conducted to collect information on health safety measures for hot weather. A substantial search of scientific databases such as “Google Scholar” and “Medline” for proposed measures in combination with “heat-stroke”, “heat exhaustion” and “heat rash” was also conducted to identify their possible activity in heat-related illnesses. The guidelines for summer seasons in the classical Unani literature are described under the title tadābīr-i-mavsam. Unani scholars have discussed in detail the pathophysiological effects of heat and the measures to stay healthy by regulating the body system through lifestyle, diet and herbs. Most of the measures proposed by them are backed up by evidences. However, some measures have not yet been evaluated for their therapeutic or prophylactic efficacy in heat-related illnesses. On the basis of findings, the authors advocate the adoption of evidence-based measures and propose further investigation of those measures that are not well supported by the evidence or have not yet been evaluated.

Keywords: climate change; heat stress; heat prevention plan; health and safety; Unani medicine

Corresponding author: Malik Itrat, MD (Unani), Lecturer, Department of Tahaffuzi wa Samaji Tib (Preventive and Social Medicine), National Institute of Unani Medicine, Kottigepalya, Magadi Main Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, Phone: +91 7411602926, E-mail: malik.itrat@gmail.com

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the library staff of NIUM for their kind cooperation in conducting the literature review.

Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: Malik Itrat conceived the idea for the review, Malik Itrat and Tariq Nadeem Khan reviewed the published literature, and Tasfiya Hakeem did the Internet searches. Malik Itrat wrote the review with contributions from Tariq Nadeem Khan and Tasfiya Hakeem.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.

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Received: 2020-10-03

Accepted: 2021-01-02

Published Online: 2021-03-15

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2020-0296

Keywords for this article

climate change; heat stress; heat prevention plan; health and safety; Unani medicine