Digestion process and causes of indigestion based on Avicenna's view and modern medicine

The process of food digestion is one of the most important physiologic processes in human body. In this review, we are seeking the views of Avicenna, the most distinguished Persian medical scholar about digestion and indigestion. Avicenna’s view was based on the humoral theory. Avicenna has focused scrutiny on the process of digestion. He divided this process into four phases including gastric, hepatic, intravascular and intra-organ digestion. A defect in any of these phases can lead to disturbance in other stages. Avicenna approached the problem of indigestion through factors of diet, lifestyle and inherent structural characteristics of digestive organs. Modern medicine confirms Avicenna's opinion about the start of digestion from the mouth, the role of the stomach in digestion and the role of the liver in the metabolism of foods. Overeating or eating certain foods, snacking between meals, eating variety of different foods together, intense physical activity, sexual activity after a meal, stress and sleep insufficiency are among factors that may be linked to indigestion in modern medicine viewpoints and also have been mentioned in Avicenna's teachings. It seems rational to consider the medical approaches recommended by Avicenna for future studies in the field of digestive disorders.

Unveiling the book of Persian medicine-the official document of Persian medicine in Iran and delivering it to the WHO representative Unveiling the book of Persian medicine-the official document of Persian medicine in Iran and delivering it to the WHO representative

Persian medicine is one of the oldest traditional systems of medicine that its history in Persia (Iran) dates back to at least 7000 years ago [1]. This traditional medical system has a holistic approach to health care and treat and is based on humoral theory [2]. Persian medicine was the main paradigm of medicine in Europe, west of Asia and some parts of Africa for centuries. It was flourished during Islamic Golden Age (9th to 13th century).

Twelve vegetables used for prevention and treatment of hemorrhoids in Persian Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To review the role of vegetables to prevent and treat hemorrhoids in Persian Medicine(PM).METHODS: We search main Persian Medicine manuscripts, including the books of Liber Continens,Canon of Medicine, Great Elixir, Akbarie’s Medicine,Storehouse of Medicaments and Present for the faithful. Also, it was considered by searching in reference books and published papers with the help of PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar databases.RESULTS: Twelve vegetables, relating to 8 plant families, have been found in PM that their effectiveness involved in laxative, anti-inflammation, antimicrobial, analgesic and wound healing.CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that 12 Persian Medicine vegetables can be used to prevent and treat hemorrhoids.

Lavender and dodder combined herbal syrup versus citalopram in major depressive disorder with anxious distress: A double-blind randomized trial

Background: Major depressive disorder(MDD) accompanied by anxious distress is a chronic and disabling disorder. Its conventional drug therapies often have low patient compliance due to drug-related side effects. In Persian medicine, lavender-dodder syrup is one formula often recommended for such disorders.Objective: This study compares the effects of lavender-dodder syrup to the standard drug, citalopram, for treating MDD with anxious distress.Design, setting, participants and intervention: This six-week, double-blind, randomized, clinical trial was carried out in a psychiatric outpatient clinic. During the six-week intervention period, patients in citalopram group received citalopram tablets 20 mg/d plus 5 mL placebo syrup every 12 h;patients in group B received placebo tablets once daily plus 5 mL of lavender-dodder herbal syrup every 12 h.Main outcome measures: Primary outcome measures, depression and anxiety, were evaluated using the Hamilton Depression/Anxiety Rating Scales, and were scored at the beginning of the study and at weeks three and six. Secondary outcome measures including response to treatment and remission rates were also compared between the two groups.Results: Fifty-six participants with MDD and anxious distress were randomly assigned to two groups.Mean depression scores significantly decreased in citalopram and herbal groups at weeks three and six(time effect: P < 0.001), although the observed changes were not significantly different between the groups(intervention effect: P = 0.61). Mean anxiety scores were not significantly different between the two groups at week three(P = 0.75). However, at the end of week six, the observed decrease was significantly higher in the herbal syrup group than the citalopram group(intervention effect: P = 0.007).Conclusion: The herbal syrup is an effective and tolerable supplement for treating MDD with anxious distress.Trial registration number: IRCT2016102430459 N1 on Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials.

The necessity for integrating traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine into medical education curricula in Iran

Background: The use of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) is increasing in both developed and developing countries. The school of Persian medicine (PM) in Iran is a comprehensive medical school that is rich in history and has its own special principles, elements, philosophy, and diagnostic and treatment options. Many complementary therapy modalities are also popular and in demand among patients and physicians. The aim of this paper is to provide logic for the policymakers in Iranian medical education to make changes in medical education curricula, particularly on integrating T&CM. Methods: We reviewed the global experience in teaching T&CM to medical students, and highlighting the strengths of PM, described why it is necessary to integrate T&CM into general medicine curricula in Iran. Results: PM is a traditional system of medicine that dates back about 7000 years. Although there are few studies about the safety and effectiveness of PM, research into it has recently been accelerated. There is a suitable opportunity for integrating T&CM with conventional medicine. Physicians should be familiar with T&CM to avoid any contraindications, interactions, and unwanted effects. Conclusion: Traditional medicine is part of Iran's heritage and. thus, needs special attention. Familiarization of physicians with T&CM can help them choose the best treatment options for their patients. To integrate T&CM into the medical education curricula of Iran, a two-credit course has been proposed for implementation across the country.

Cupping therapy can improve the quality of life of healthy people in Tehran

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of cupping on the quality of life of healthy people who referred to traditional Persian medicine clinics in Tehran.METHODS: All participants were examined by Traditional Persian Medicine specialists and their temperaments were determined. The area between the shoulders was cleaned, and cupping was performed with a disposable cupping glass for a few minutes. The questionnaire used in this project was the Persian version of the SF-36 questionnaire which assesses people's understanding of their health status. Before cupping and then one monthafter cupping, all participants were called and the questionnaires were completed again. Finally, all given data was analyzed.RESULTS: From a total of 290 questionnaires completed in the first phase of the project, 112 patients were excluded. Ultimately, the data of 178 participants was analyzed. After one month, the quality of life score of 155 participants(88%) increased, remained unchanged for 21 participants(11.7%), and decreased for 2 participants(1.1%). Asked about possible complications from cupping, 160 participants reported no side effects(89.9%).CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that cupping therapy can improve the scores of quality of life in the participants in Tehran.

The medieval Persian manuscript of Afyunieh:the first individual treatise on the opium and addiction in history

According to historical evidence, the abuse of opium has been reported all over the globe-specifically throughout Eastern nations-since the sixteenth century. Before that, opium had mostly been applied as medication. Reference has been made in traditional Persian medical literature to the method of cultivation, properties, side effects and toxicity. In sixteenth century Iran, during the reign of the Safavids, opium abuse began. It was from then that prominent Persian scholars started to think of solutions to this societal problem. One of the most famous scholars was Imad al-Din Mahmud ibn Mas＇ud Shirazi, who composed a book concerning addiction-Afyunieh, a comprehensive book on the topic of opium and all issues of opium. Furthermore, he recommended methods for reducing opium dose as well as substitution with other medications that had a narrower range of side effects, in order to eradicate dependency upon opium and opium-derived materials. This is most likely the first book that comprehensively addressed opium and discussed drug rehabilitation methodology, in traditional Persian medical literature. In this historical review, the authors have introduced the book Afyunieh, which presents methods for treating addiction to and giving up opium; the text comprises a synthesis of the author＇s opinions, professional experience and references to the work of other famous physicians.

Periconceptional care and offspring health at birth and long term,from the perspective of Avicenna

Periconceptional care such as lifestyle plays an important impact role in offspring health. The aim of the present study was to clarify the perspective of Avicenna on periconceptional care. Avicenna(980–1037 A.D.) was one of the outstanding Persian physicians, who made great contributions to the field of medical sciences, in particular, obstetrics. In advance, Avicenna's book, Canon of Medicine, was considered to find his perspectives on periconceptional care. Then, his ideas and theories were compared to the current findings by searching the keywords in main indexing systems including PubMed/MEDLINE,Scopus and Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science as well as the search engine of Google Scholar. Current investigations show that gamete quality, pregnancy outcome, and offspring health at birth and long term depend on both parents' lifestyle in pre-and periconceptional period, as well as the intrauterine environment. Avicenna believed that seminal fluid, sperm, ovum, and developing conditions in utero were influenced by the stages of food digestion and the function of some organs.On the other hand, food digestion and function of the organs also depend on each parent's lifestyle and environmental factors. He mentioned 6 principles of healthy lifestyle: exercise, nutrition, sleep and awareness, excretion of body wastes and retention of necessary materials, psychic features, as well as air and climate. Thus, a multicomponent healthy lifestyle should be considered by parents of child-bearing age in an appropriate period before and in early pregnancy as well as elimination of any disorders in parents, to give birth to more healthy offspring.