Understanding Holism in the light of principle underlying practice of Unani Medicine

Wasim Ahmad; Ghulamuddin Sofi; Md Anzar Alam; Mohd Zulkifle; Bilal Ahmad

doi:10.1515/reveh-2021-0009

Article

Understanding Holism in the light of principle underlying practice of Unani Medicine

Wasim Ahmad , Ghulamuddin Sofi , Md Anzar Alam , Mohd Zulkifle and Bilal Ahmad

Published/Copyright: May 13, 2021

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From the journal Reviews on Environmental Health Volume 37 Issue 2

Abstract

The holistic Unani medicine is fundamentally different from the reductionist conventional medicine. It asserts the self-integration amongst its basic disciplines, without considering them underlying principles of Unani system of medicine cannot be understood. The diagnosis, selection of drugs, and plan of treatment is also overlooked. Unani scholars attribute health to the functions or actions of the body in a normal way. The constitution is considered as the result of need based on the amalgamation of Arkan (primordial essence). Umoor Tabiya (basic principles) interact at many levels and manifest into Kaifiyyat (Mizaj), Akhlat (Humour), Arwaah (Pneuma), Quwa (faculties), and Tabiyat (Physis) which need to be understood properly for effective management and diagnosis of disease in Unani medicine as well as its treatment. Ilmul Asbab is applied in the prevention of disease as well as in disease causation. In Unani medicine, there should be conformity in between, Asbab (causes), Alamaat (symptoms), and therapeutics. Therefore; the treatment strategy needs the knowledge of Ilmul Asbab. This paper will examine the basic relationship amongst disciplines i.e. Basic principles, diagnosis, and principles of treatment. It will attempt to illustrate the need for awareness of the basic principles of health and disease for a physician for effective management of disease which is what Unani medicine claims to be holistic.

Keywords: Alamaat ; constitution; holistic based; Ilmul Asbab ; therapeutics

Corresponding author: Md Anzar Alam, MD, PhD, Department of Moalajat, National Institute of Unani Medicine, Kottigepalya, Magadi Main Road, Bangalore 560091, India, Mobile: +91 9902146030, E-mail: dranzarnium@gmail.com

Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Ethical approval: Not applicable.

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Received: 2021-01-20

Accepted: 2021-04-19

Published Online: 2021-05-13

Published in Print: 2022-06-27

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https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2021-0009

Keywords for this article

Alamaat; constitution; holistic based; Ilmul Asbab; therapeutics