UNANI HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS - AN INTRODUCTION

History
The Unani system of Herbal Supplements owes, as its name suggests, its origin to Greece. The term ‘UNANI’ is derived from the word ‘UNAN’ which means Greece in Arabic. It was the work of the Greek philosopher-physician Hippocrates {Buqrat In Arabic} (460-377 B.C.), who freed Herbal Supplements from the realm of superstition and magic and gave it the status of science. He considered illness to be natural rather than a supernatural phenomenon, and he felt that Herbal Supplements should be administered without ritual ceremonies or magic. The theoretical framework of Unani Herbal Supplements is based on the teachings of Hippocrates. By his method of careful study and comparison of symptoms, he laid the foundation for clinical Herbal Supplements.

After Hippocrates a number of other Greek scholars enriched the system considerably. Of them Galen {Jalinus in Arabic} (131-200 A.D.) stands out as the one who established its foundation on which Arab physicians like Rhazes {Al-Razi in Arabic} (850-932 A.D.) and Avicenna {Ibn-Sena in Arabic} (980-1037 A.D.) constructed an imposing edifice. Galen introduced and practiced the Unani system of Herbal Supplements in pre-Islamic Egypt, serving as Royal court physician to the King of Egypt and under his patronage, researched, experimented and developed hundreds of new Herbal Supplements and cures for almost all types of diseases.

Imbibing what was best in the contemporary systems of traditional Herbal Supplements in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Persia, India, China and other Middle East and Far East countries enriched the Unani system. That is why this system is known, in different parts of the world, with different names such as Greco-Arab Herbal Supplements, Ionian Herbal Supplements, Arab Herbal Supplements, Islamic Herbal Supplements, Traditional Herbal Supplements, Oriental Herbal Supplements, etc.

In India
In India, Unani system of Herbal Supplements was introduced by the Arabs and soon took firm roots in the soil. When Mongols ravaged Persian and Central Asian cities, scholars and physicians of Unani Herbal Supplements fled to India. The Delhi Sultans, the Khiljis, the Tughlaqs and the Mughal Emperors provided state patronage to the scholars and even enrolled some as state employees and court physicians. During 13th and 17th century A.D. Unani Herbal Supplements had its heyday in India. During the British rule Unani system of Herbal Supplements suffered a setback due to withdrawal of State patronage, but continued to be practised as the masses reposed faith in the system. An outstanding physician and scholar of Unani Herbal Supplements, Hakim Ajmal Khan (1868 - 1927), championed the cause of the system in India. The Unani system got a further boost in India when Janab Hafiz Mohammed Yusuf Dehlvi took over Bara Dawakhana in 1956 and started manufacturing quality Herbal Supplements.

Fundamentals
According to the principles and philosophy of Unani Herbal Supplements, disease is a natural process, its symptoms are the reaction of the body to the disease, and the chief function of the physician is to aid the natural forces of the theory. Unani Herbal Supplements is basically based on Humoral Theory.

The Humors (Akhlat)
The humoral theory presupposes the presence of four humors -- Dam (blood), Balgham (phlegm), Safra (yellow bile) and Sauda (black bile) -- in the body. The temperaments of persons are expressed by the words sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric and melancholic according to the preponderance in them of humors -- blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile, respectively. The humors themselves are assigned temperaments -- blood is hot and moist, phlegm is cold and moist, yellow bile is hot and dry, and black bile is cold and moist. Every person is supposed to have a unique humoral constitution which represents his healthy state. As long as these humors exist in normal balance, normal quantities and in the normal region of the body, the humor system will work in the normal way. Any imbalances to the humor constitutions or changes in their quantity and quality result in diseases. To maintain the correct humoral balance there is a power of self- preservation or adjustment called Quwwat-e-Mudabbira (medicatrix naturae) in the body. If this power weakens, imbalance in the humoral composition is bound to occur which causes disease. In Unani Herbal Supplements, great reliance is placed on this power. The Herbal Supplements used in this system, in fact, help the body to regain this power to an optimum level and thereby restore humoral balance, thus restoring health. Also, correct diet and digestion are considered necessary to maintain humoral balance.

Distinctive Characteristics
1. Existence of Pneumas; 2. Holistic Approach; 3. Herbal Treatment; 4. Psychological Dimensions, and 5. Qualitative Action of weather and seasonal requirement Diagnosis
Another distinctive feature of the Unani system of Herbal Supplements is its emphasis on diagnosing a disease through Nabz (pulse), a rhythmic expansion of arteries which is felt by fingers. The reading of the pulse permits a rather straightforward assessment of several factors: 1) which humor is out of balance; 2) what is the nature of the imbalance; that is, excess of heat or coldness, wetness or dryness; and 3) which of the primary organs are effected. Other methods of diagnosis include examination of Baul (urine), Baraz (stool), etc.

Prevention of Disease
Unani system of Herbal Supplements recognises the influence of surroundings and ecological conditions on the state of health of human beings. The system aims at restoring the equilibrium of various elements and faculties of the human body. It has laid down six essential prerequisites for the prevention of diseases and places great emphasis on the maintenance of proper ecological balance and on keeping water, food and air free from pollution. These essentials, known as ‘Asbab-e-Sitta Zarooriya’, are air, food and drinks, bodily movement and repose, pyschic movement and response, sleep and wakefulness, and excretion and retention.

Types of Treatment
Unani system of Herbal Supplements has various modes of treating an ailment depending upon the nature of the ailment and its causes, such as Ilaj-bil-Tadbeer (Regimental therapy), Ilaj-bil-Ghiza (Dietotherapy), Ilaj-bil-Dawa (Pharmacotherapy) and Ilaj-bil-Yad (Surgery).
The regimental therapy includes Fasd (Venesection) -- useful for correcting the excess of blood and relieving high blood pressure, preventing toxicity and accumulation of waste matters in blood, excreting waste matters from various parts of the body, stimulating metabolic processes, curing ailments due to amenorrhoea; Mahajim (Cupping) -- useful for cleaning the skin of waste matters, stopping excessive menses or epistaxis, correcting liver diseases, treating malaria and spleen disorders, treating piles, inflammation of testes and uterus, scabies, boils etc.; Tariq (Sweating) -- this is the natural means of excretion. Waste matter from the skin, blood and from other parts of the body is excreted through sweating. It also reduces excessive heat; Hot fomentations (dry and wet) -- bathing with warm water, massaging and keeping the patient in a room having hot air are some of the methods; Idrar-e-Baul (Diuresis) -- poisonous matters, waste products and the excess of humors is excreted through urine. It is applied as a cure for diseases of heart, liver and lungs; Hamam (Turkish Bath) -- this is required for resolving the waste matters and increasing sweating, providing light heat, increasing nutrition, increasing or decreasing fat. Cold bath is preferable in normal health. Hot bath is generally applied for the cure of diseases like Paralysis and muscular wasting etc, after massage; Dalak (Massage) -- soft massage is sedative and relaxant; dry and hard massage is deobstruent and increases the blood supply while the massage with oil relaxes the muscles and softens the skin; Kai (Cauterization) -- it prevents the poison malignancy of one organ from transferring it to other organs thereby strengthening the organ having cold temperament. In the pain of hip joint cauterization is found very useful. It is also used to check the catarrhal matters from accumulation; Ishal (Purging) -- purgatives and laxatives have been widely used by the Unani physicians for intestinal evacuation in certain diseases. This method has resolving, derivative, antispasmodic and detoxicating effects; Qai (Vomiting) -- emetics are used to cure headache, migraine, tonsillitis, bronchopneumonia and also bronchial asthma. This also cures mental diseases like mania and melancholia; Riyazat (Exercise) -- physical exercise has great importance in the treatment of certain diseases, as well as in maintenance of healthy condition of an individual. It also prevents occurrence of certain diseases; and Taleeq (Leeching) -- to apply leeches is a unique method for removal of bad matter from the blood. It is useful in skin diseases i.e. baldness and ring worm etc.
In dietotherapy therapy alterations in the quality and quantity of the patient’s diet is suggested. In this, either the patient is asked to restrict his or her diet or a balanced diet is suggested for malnourished patients. The weakness of certain organs is corrected by administering the same organ of an animal by way of food; for instance, disorders and weakness of liver are treated by feeding the patient on liver. Likewise heart, kidneys and brain are administered in treating the ailments of these parts. Sometimes, the patient is even asked to forego food altogether.
In pharmacotherapy therapy drugs of natural origin are used. They may be of plant, animal or mineral origin. Single drugs as well as compound formulations in the form of Safuf (Powder), Haboob (Pills) and Qurs (Tablets), Kushtajat (Oxides), Sharbat (Syrups) and Majun, Itrefal and Khamirajat (Semi solids) are used in the treatment of various complex and chronic disorders. Surgery is the fourth line of treatment.

Conventional (Allopathic) Vs Unani System of Herbal Supplements
Despite the dramatic advances of conventional Herbal Supplements, or bio-herbal supplements as it is also known, it is clear that herbal Herbal Supplements has much to offer. Today, herbal remedies are coming back into prominence because the efficacy of conventional Herbal Supplements such as antibiotics and cortisones, which once had near-universal effectiveness against serious infections, is on the wane and serious, even fatal, side-effects of so called “wonder drugs” are being discovered.

Herbal Supplements often complements conventional treatments, providing safe, well-tolerated remedies for chronic illness. It is experiencing a dramatic renaissance in Western countries, partly because no effective conventional treatment as yet exists for such chronic illnesses such as asthma, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome and sexual dysfunctions. In addition, concern over the side effects of conventional Herbal Supplements is encouraging people to look for more gentle and effective forms of treatment. It is estimated that 10-20% of hospital patients in the West are there due to the side effects of conventional medical treatment. According to the late Sir William Oslar, an eminent physician and surgeon, when conventional drugs are used, the patient has to recover twice - once from the illness and once from the drug.

Plants take up substances from the earth and convert them into vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats that our bodies use for nourishment and healing. By using the whole plant, we take in all the vital ingredients it carries. The Unani system of Herbal Supplements, therefore, believe in the harmonious view that “the whole plant is worth more than the sum of its parts”. When the whole plant is used rather than extracted constituents, the different parts interact producing a greater therapeutic effect than the equivalent dosage of isolated active constituents that are generally preferred in conventional (allopathic) Herbal Supplements where often a drug is over-refined and may lose some of the other components that complement or prevent side effects.

Unani Manufacture Control The manufacture of Unani drugs is being regulated by the Government of India through the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940

History
“Ayurveda” literally means “the science of life”. It is the oldest and most holistic medical system available on the planet today. It was placed in written form over 5,000 years ago in India, it was said to be a world Herbal Supplements dealing with both body and the spirit. Before the advent of writing, the ancient wisdom of this healing system was a part of the spiritual tradition of the Sanatana Dharma (Universal Religion), or Vedic Religion. VedaVyasa, the famous sage, shaktavesha avatar of Vishnu, put into writing the complete knowledge of Ayurveda, along with the more directly spiritual insights of self realization into a body of scriptural literature called the Vedas and the Vedic literatures.

There were originally four main books of spirituality, which included among other topics, health, astrology, spiritual business, government, army, poetry and spiritual living and behavior. These books are known as the four Vedas; Rik, Sama, Yajur and Atharva. The Rik Veda, a compilation of verse on the nature of existence, is the oldest surviving book of any Indo-European language (3000 B.C.). The Rik Veda (also known as Rig Veda) refers to the cosmology known as Sankhya which lies at the base of both Ayurveda and Yoga, contains verses on the nature of health and disease, pathogenesis and principles of treatment. Among the Rik Veda are found discussions of the three dosas, Vayu. Pitta and Kapha, and the use of herbs to heal the diseases of the mind and body and to foster longevity.

The Atharva Veda lists the eight divisions of Ayurveda: Internal Herbal Supplements, Surgery of Head and Neck, Opthamology and Otorinolaryngology, Surgery, Toxicology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Gerontology or Science of Rejuvenation, and the Science of Fertility. The Vedic Sages took the passages from the Vedic Scriptures relating to Ayurveda and compiled separate books dealing only with Ayurveda. One of these books, called the Atreya Samhita is the oldest medical book in the world! The Vedic Brahmanas were not only priests performing religious rites and ceremonies, they also became Vaidyas (physicians of Ayurveda). The sage-physician-surgeons of the time were the same sages or seers, deeply devoted holy people, who saw health as an integral part of spiritual life. It is said that they received their training of Ayurveda through direct cognition during meditation. In other words, the knowledge of the use of various methods of healing, prevention, longevity and surgery came through Divine revelation; there was no guessing or testing and harming animals. These revelations were transcribed from the oral tradition into book form, interspersed with the other aspects of life and spirituality. What is fascinating is Ayurveda’s use of herbs, foods, aromas, gems, colors, yoga, mantras, lifestyle and surgery. Consequently Ayurveda grew into a respected and widely used system of healing in India.

Around 1500 BC, various authors took ayurvedic passages from the four scriptures and created ayurvedic texts for at least eight specific branches of Herbal Supplements, divided into two main schools: ATREYA, or physicians, and DHANVANTARI, or surgeons. Through experimentation and research, these two schools transformed ayurveda from a primarily religious discipline to a scientific medical system.

Scholars from China, Tibet, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome flocked to India’s Ayurvedic schools to learn about this holistic Herbal Supplements. Over 1,200 years ago, masters of the two schools assembled their knowledge into essential texts. Charak, a doctor of the Atreya school, compiled information on diagnosis and prevention of disease, internal and external causes of illness, herbal prescriptions and anatomy. He stated that all disease - physical, mental and spiritual - is fundamentally caused by a separation from Divine Oneness. He also gave strikingly detailed descriptions of human fetal development month-by-month. Sushrut, from the Dhanvantari school, classified functions of organs, nerves and joints, catalogued various kinds of wounds and described sophisticated surgical equipment used in technical procedures like amputation and plastic surgery. His text also includes the first mention of the science of massage using MARMA points, vital nerve intersections like those used in Chinese acupuncture.

After the flowering of ayurvedic knowledge came hard times. First, schools began splitting over technical interpretations. In the 1600s, the British East India Company took control over the subcontinent. By 1833, it had sufficient authority to ban all ayurvedic colleges and opened the first Western-style medical university. Ayurvedic Herbal Supplements survived only in rural areas where local doctors treated those who could not afford Western Herbal Supplements.

Only in 1920 did the discipline of ayurveda begin to regain its former respect. When India established independence in 1947, ayurvedic medical schools were once more officially accepted and allowed to open.

Today, well over 100 ayurvedic colleges in India grant degrees after a five-year program. More than 300,000 ayurvedic physicians belong to the All-India Ayurveda Congress, making it the largest medical organization in the world.

Ayurvedic Manufacture Control
The manufacture of Ayurvedic Herbal Supplements is being regulated by the Government of India through the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940.

Difference between Ayurvedic & Unani Herbal Supplements
Most of the herbal drugs are common in Ayurvedic and Unani Herbal Supplements. In the Ayurvedic system, names are in Sanskrit, whereas in Unani System, in Arabic or Persian. In fact both the systems have practically emerged as one integrated system.