Dr. Akhlaq Ahmed Clinic ( Unani ) Ex. Hony. Physician to the President of India, 45 yrs experience - Delhi

UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

Medicinal herbs found in the plains and mountains of India, according to their medicinal qualities are in accordance with the temperament of Indian people for curing their ailments. Medicinal herbs are used in the practice of the traditional herbal system of medicine (Ayurvedic and Unani). I think it is one of our most valuable ancestral assets. The Unani system of medicine or Greeco Arab medicine is based on Greek (Unani) philosophy. Aesculapius (Isqeliboos) originated this system of medicine. Hippocrates(Buqrat) who was a descendant of Aesculapius, was recognized as the father of Unani medicine. He freed this system of medicine from the abuse of superstition and magic. He gave it the status of medical science. Later on Aristotle (Arastu ), Galen (Jalinoos), Rhazes (Raazi), AbulQasimZehravi, IbneBaitar and Avicenna (IbnSena) worked in the field of Unani and presented other methods of dealing with diseases. Avicenna authored a very famous book with the name of Al-Qanoon (Al-Canon) in which he gives the detailed descriptions of various diseases and method of their treatment. An eminent and renowned personality in the field of Unani and in the field of Indian politics & freedom struggle was (late) Hakeem Mohd. Ajmal Khan a member of famous Hakeems' family (Khandan- e -Sharifi) who worked for the upliftment of Unani system of medicine. In the British period, in his lifetime he established many institutions for the education and research in Unani medicine. One from his established institutions is A&U Tibbia college, Karol Bagh, Delhi. The foundation stone of this college was laid down in 1916 by Lord Harding the then viceroy of India. The college, comprising of various departments of Unani was inaugurated by Rashtra-pita ( late) Mahatma Gandhi Ji, in the year 1921.

At present the Tibbia college is affiliated with Delhi University and provides education in Unani and Ayurvedic both. Students get their admission in B.A.M.S course for Ayurvedic study and B.U.M.S course for study in Unani. This college provides the facility for postgraduate education also. In his lifetime (late) Hakeem Mohd.Ajmal Khan started a research unit in A&U Tibbiacollege, where he appointed Dr. SalimuzzamanSiddiqui for doing research work on Unani herbs & medicine. Dr. SaleemuzamanSiddiqui worked on a herb namely RawalfuliaSerpentina (Dawa-ul-Shifa) and he successfully isolated its active alkaloids for the treatment of insomnia, hypertension and some agitative nervous disorders. The alkaloids isolated from Dawa-ul-Shifa have been named as Ajmaloon and Ajmalnain etc.

The Unani system of medicine is now practiced in various parts of India using herbal medicine. The herbal extracts, either from a single source or compounded as admixture of elements from several sources are classical as well as proprietary medicines. These are widely available to address the prevention and also for the treatment of various diseases.

As per this traditional system, the human body is composed of 4 elements (Anasur Arba) fire, water, earth and air having their hot, wet, dry and cold temperaments respectively. The human body fluids are composed of 4 humors (Akhlat- e -Arba) blood, phlegum, yellow bile and black bile(Dum, Balghum, Safra&Sauda). These humors have their own temperaments and balance in a healthy body. These humors keep their temperament in a proportion in our body and are a result of the interaction of basic elements which form the organs of the body. Unani System of Medicine aids the body in the following four ways of practices.

1. Diet therapy ( Ilaj-bil-ghiza ) 2. Regimental therapy (Ilaj-bil-zid) 3. Medicinal therapy &( Ilaj-bil-dawa) 4. Surgery ( Jarahat).

In the Unani System of Medicine, a large number of natural single drug, medicaments are easily available as preparations in the market Apart from these many classical compound and proprietary medicines of Unani , known to be very effective and result oriented may be used under the consultation and advise of a competent Unani physician according to the condition of the patient. Many Unani formulations having properties to potentiate the functioning of brain, heart, liver and other chief organs of the body and especially useful in the complaints of palpitation, perplexity and weakness of the heart and also to potentiate other vital organs of the body are easily available in the market.

Unani system of medicine is a complete medical science where treatment and assistance is available for the weakness of brain, chronic sinusitis, weakness of heart, disorders of liver, Hepatitis, splenic disorders, gaseous diseases of the abdomen ,male sexual disorders , female disorders and skin disorders etc.