Unani medicine#Education and recognition

{{Short description|Traditional medicine from the Mughal empire}}

File:Trombidium.jpg red velvet mite) is used as Unani Medicine]]

Unani or Yunani medicine (Urdu: {{lang|ur|طب یونانی}} tibb yūnānīthe transcription as Unani is found in 19th-century English language sources: "the Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine" "Madhya Pradesh District Gazetteers: Hoshangabad", Gazetteer of India 17 (1827), [https://books.google.com/books?id=hqE8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA587 p. 587].) is Perso-Arabic traditional medicine as practiced in Muslim culture in South Asia and modern day Central Asia. Unani medicine is pseudoscientific.{{cite book|author=Quack, Johannes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TNbxUwhS5RUC&pg=PA213|title=Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2012|isbn=978-0199812608|pages=3, 213}}{{cite book |editor-last1=Kaufman |editor-first1=Allison B. |editor-last2=Kaufman |editor-first2=James C. |title=Pseudoscience: The Conspiracy Against Science |year=2018 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-03742-6 |page=293 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dwFKDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA293}}

The term Yūnānī means 'Greek',{{cite book|author=William Dalrymple|title=City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PzQWAQAAMAAJ&q=greek|year=1994|publisher=Flamingo|isbn=978-0-00-637595-1|page=269}}{{cite web|title=Unani Tibb|url=http://broughttolife.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/techniques/unanitibb|publisher=Science Museum, London|access-date=7 October 2017}} referring to the fact that the Perso-Arabic system of medicine was based on the teachings of the Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen."Unani Medicine in India: Its Origin and Fundamental Concepts" by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Vol. IV Part 2 (Medicine and Life Sciences in India), Ed. B. V. Subbarayappa, Centre for Studies in Civilizations, Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture, New Delhi, 2001, pp. 298-325

The Hellenistic origin of Unani medicine is still visible in its being based on the classical four humours: phlegm ({{transl|ur|balgham}}), blood (dam), yellow bile (ṣafrā) and black bile (saudā'), but it has also been influenced by Indian and Chinese traditional systems.{{cite journal |title=The use of Chinese herbal drugs in Islamic medicine |journal=Journal of Integrative Medicine |volume=13 |issue=6 |pages=363–7 |doi=10.1016/S2095-4964(15)60205-9 |pmid=26559361 |url=http://www.jcimjournal.com/jim/showAbstrPage.aspx?articleID=S2095-4964(15)60205-9|year=2015 |last1=Heyadri |first1=Mojtaba |last2=Hashempur |first2=Mohammad Hashem |last3=Ayati |first3=Mohammad Hosein |last4=Quintern |first4=Detlev |last5=Nimrouzi |first5=Majid |last6=Mosavat |first6=Seyed Hamdollah}}

History

Arab and Persian elaborations upon the Greek system of medicine by figures like Ibn Sina and al-Razi influenced the early development of Unani."Unani Medicine in India during 1901–1947" by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Studies in History of Medicine and Science, IHMMR, New Delhi, Vol. XIII, No. 1, 1994, p. 97-112.{{cite book|last1=Alam|first1=Zulfeequar|title=Herbal Medicines|pages=13–15|publisher=APH|isbn=9788131303580|year=2008}}

Unani medicine interacted with Indian Buddhist medicine at the time of Alexander's invasion of India. There was a great exchange of knowledge at that time which is visible from the similarity of the basic conceptual frames of the two systems. The medical tradition of medieval Islam was introduced to India by the 12th century with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate and it took its own course of development during the Mughal Empire,Chishti, p. 2.Kapoor, p. 7264 influenced by Indian medical teachings of Sushruta and Charaka.[http://www.salaam.co.uk/knowledge/hakeems.php Exchanges between India and Central Asia in the field of Medicine by Hakeem Abdul Hameed]"Interaction with China and Central Asia in the Field of Unani Medicine" by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Vol. III Part 2 (India's Interaction with China, Central and West Asia), Ed. A. Rahman, Centre for Studies in Civilizations, Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture, New Delhi, 2002, pp. 297-314 Alauddin Khalji (d. 1316) had several eminent physicians (Hakims) at his royal courts."Indian Hakims: Their Role in the medical care of India" by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Vol. IV Part 2 (Medicine and Life Sciences in India), Ed. B. V. Subbarayappa, Centre for Studies in Civilizations, Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture, New Delhi, 2001, pp. 371-426 This royal patronage led to the development of Unani in India, and also the creation of Unani literature.{{cite web|url=http://indianmedicine.nic.in/unani.asp|title=Unani|publisher=Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, Govt. of India|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223064405/http://indianmedicine.nic.in/unani.asp|archive-date=2007-12-23}}Bala, p. 45

Education and recognition

= India =

There are several Indian universities devoted to Unani medicine, in addition to universities that teach traditional Indian medical practices in general.{{cn|date=June 2020}} Undergraduate degrees awarded for completing an Unani program include the Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery, Bachelor of Unani Tib and Surgery, and Bachelor of Unani Medicine with Modern Medicine and Surgery degrees. A small number of universities offer post-graduate degrees in Unani medicine.{{cite book|title=Handbook of Universities, Volume 1|page=xiii,13|last1=Kumar|first1=Ashish|year=2006|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist}}

The Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), a statutory body established in 1971 under the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), monitors higher education in areas of Indian medicine including Ayurveda, Unani, and other traditional medical systems.{{cite web |last1=Aggarwal |first1=K. K. |last2=Sharma |first2=V. N. |title=IMA Anti Quackery Wing |url=https://www.ima-india.org/ima/archive-page-details.php?pid=291 |access-date=January 7, 2024 |work=Indian Medical Association |quote=Quacks can be divided amongst three basic categories ... Practitioners of Indian Medicine (Ayurvedic, Sidha, Tibb, Unani), Homeopathy, Naturopathy, commonly called Ayush, who are not qualified to practice Modern Medicine (Allopathy) but are practicing Modern Medicine.}} Another subdivision of AYUSH, the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM),{{cite web|url=http://www.tkdl.res.in/tkdl/LangSpanish/Unani/Una_ccrum.asp?GL=|title=Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) |publisher=Traditional Knowledge Digital Library}} aids and co-ordinates scientific research in the Unani system of medicine through a network of 22 nationwide research institutes and units.{{cite web|url=http://www.crism.net/research.htm|title=Research and Development: Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM)|publisher=Centre for Research in Indian Systems of Medicine, (CRISM)}}

To fight biopiracy and unethical patents, the Government of India set up the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library in 2001 as repository of formulations used in Indian traditional medicine, including 98,700 Unani formulations.[http://www.tkdl.res.in/tkdl/langdefault/common/ Traditional Knowledge Digital Library] website.{{cite web |url=http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=61511 |title=Know Instances of Patenting on the UES of Medicinal Plants in India|date=May 6, 2010|publisher=PIB, Ministry of Environment and Forests}}

= Pakistan =

In 1990, the total number of hakims or tabibs (practitioners of Unani medicine) in Pakistan was 51,883.{{Cite book |last1=Gadit |first1=Amin |title=State of Mental Health in Pakistan: Service, Education & Research |last2=Khalid |first2=Najeeb |publisher=Hamdard Foundation |year=2002 |pages=27}} The government of Pakistan's National Council for Tibb (NCT) is responsible for developing the curriculum of Unani courses and registering practitioners of the medicine.{{cite book|title=WHO Global Atlas of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine|publisher=WHO|last1=Bodeker|first1=Gerard|page=167|year=2005}} Various private foundations devote themselves to the research and production of Unani medicines, including the Hamdard Foundation, which also runs an Unani research institution.{{cite web | url=http://hamdard.edu.pk/hamdard-research-institute-of-unani-medicine/ | title=Hamdard Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Hamdard University | access-date=11 January 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20150115143654/http://hamdard.edu.pk/hamdard-research-institute-of-unani-medicine/|archive-date=15 January 2015}} The Qarshi Foundation runs a similar institution, Qarshi University.{{cite web|url=http://www.qu.edu.pk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87&Itemid=98|title=Department of Eastern Medicine and Surgery, Qarshi University | access-date=11 January 2015}} The programs are accredited by Higher Education Commission,{{cite web|title=H.E.C. Accreditation List|url=http://www.hec.gov.pk/ourinstitutes/pages/default.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200812/http://www.hec.gov.pk/ourinstitutes/pages/default.aspx|archive-date=2013-10-29}} Pakistan Medical and Dental Council,{{cite web|title=PM&DC Accreditation List|url=http://www.pmdc.org.pk/AboutUs/RecognizedMedicalDentalColleges/tabid/109/Default.aspx|access-date=2012-08-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116114959/http://www.pmdc.org.pk/AboutUs/RecognizedMedicalDentalColleges/tabid/109/Default.aspx|archive-date=2012-01-16}} and the Pakistan Pharmacy Council.{{cite web|title=PCP Accreditation List|url=http://www.pharmacycouncil.org.pk/PI.php|publisher=Pharmacy Council of Pakistan|access-date=2013-02-19}}

Criticism and safety issues

Some medicines traditionally used by Unani practitioners are known to be poisonous.{{cite book|title=Medical Marginality in South Asia: Situating Subaltern Therapeutics|page=171|last1=Arnold|first1=David|editor=David Hardiman, Projit Bihari Mukharji|publisher=Routledge|year=2012|isbn=9780415502412}}

The Indian Journal of Pharmacology notes:

According to WHO, "Pharmacovigilance activities are done to monitor detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of any obnoxious adverse reactions to drugs at therapeutic concentration that is used or is intended to be used to modify or explore physiological system or pathological states for the benefit of recipient."
These drugs may be any substance or product including herbs, minerals, etc. for animals and human beings and can even be that prescribed by practitioners of Unani or Ayurvedic system of medicine. In recent days, awareness has been created related to safety and adverse drug reaction monitoring of herbal drugs including Unani drugs.{{cite journal| url = http://www.ijp-online.com/text.asp?2008/40/7/17/40238 | last1= Rahman | first1=SZ| last2=Latif| first2=A| last3= Khan| first3=RA| title= Importance of pharmacovigilance in Unani system of medicine | journal= Indian J. Pharmacol. |date=Dec 2008| volume=40| issue=7| pages= 17–20| doi= 10.4103/0253-7613.40238 | doi-access= free | pmid=21369407| pmc=3038517}}
The Indian Medical Association describes Unani, Ayurvedic, Siddha practitioners who practice medicine without having right qualifications and prescribing allopathic medicines as quacks.