Journal of Islamic and Iranian Traditional Medicine
Year:2010 | Volume:1 | Issue:3 (3)|Papers Count:13

Avicenna was particularly interested in identification of drug effects on human body, which is the subject of medical pharmacology. In the second book of “Al-Qanun fi’l-tib” (the Canon of Medicine), which is on the components of drugs and pharmacological evaluation of drugs, Avicenna addressed identification of drug effects through experimental and comparative methods in details. He believed in animal and human experiments for confirmation of the effects of a drug. However, he considered human and clinical experiments as the final criterion for confirmation of a drug effect. This is what is known as clinical trial in modern pharmacology. He proposed a number of conditions for validity of basic and clinical experiments, which show the discernment of this great scientist.While respecting the ideas of other scientists and quoting from them, Avicenna preferred the results of experiments and followed the truth when observed conflicts between the ideas of scientists and the observations of accurate experiments. In such cases, he presented the consensus ideas and the results of his experiments evidently, honestly, and with respect. In this text, we have compared the identification of pharmacological effects of some drugs from the view points of Avicenna and some modern medical textbooks.

In order to clarify the history and methods for treatment of various forms of dyspnea and asthma, in this paper we addressed the evolutionary trend of treatment of these diseases from ancient times to 1905 A.D. (Dar-ol Fonun-e Naseri). The most common forms of diseases, the traditional medicine physicians have described and discussed are pulmonary emphysema, pneumothorax, hemoptysis, hemorrhages of respiratory system, hemorrhages of thorax and their differential diagnoses, pulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary abscesses, tuberculosis, pleurisy, pneumonia, bronchitis, pleuritis, atelectasis, orthopnea, dyspnea, and bronchial asthma. In this paper, we have addressed these conditions. Moreover, the most important resources of traditional medicine and necessarily other treatments and services were provided and discussed and the scientific names of plants used in traditional medicine were defined.

In order to clarify the history and methods for treatment of various forms of dyspnea and asthma, in this paper we addressed the evolutionary trend of treatment of these diseases from ancient times to 1905 A.D. (Dar-ol Fonun-e Naseri). The most common forms of diseases, the traditional medicine physicians have described and discussed are pulmonary emphysema, pneumothorax, hemoptysis, hemorrhages of respiratory system, hemorrhages of thorax and their differential diagnoses, pulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary abscesses, tuberculosis, pleurisy, pneumonia, bronchitis, pleuritis, atelectasis, orthopnea, dyspnea, and bronchial asthma. In this paper, we have addressed these conditions. Moreover, the most important resources of traditional medicine and necessarily other treatments and services were provided and discussed and the scientific names of plants used in traditional medicine were defined.

Introduction: Zireh Kermani, with the scientific name of Bunium persicum (Boiss.) B. fedtsch, is a plant belonging to Umbelliferae family. In some Iranian traditional medicine references, the fruits of Zireh are introduced as processed with vinegar and heat. Thus, the study examines qualitative and quantitative effects of this process on the plant compounds.Methods: Bunium persicum fruit was prepared from a standard source and then processed according to the method noted in Iranian traditional medicine references. Thin layer chromatography was used for determination of flavonoid and coumarin compounds of the plant. Additionally, polyphenolic compounds were measured by Folin-Ciocalteau method, before and after processing of the plant.Findings: Thin layer chromatography indicated that a certain amount of flavonoid and coumarin compounds entered vinegar. Presence of kaempferol and caffeic acid was observed in all samples of TLC analysis. Also, polyphenolic compounds increased in later stages of the process. Discussion and conclusion: As by the process, a certain amount of flavonoid and coumarin compounds entered vinegar or changed by thermal effects and also polyphenolic compounds increase, the aims of this process can be decreasing the side-effects of the medicine and increase the particular effects.

Introduction: This research analyzes mapping scheme of Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) in the structure of metathesaurus and Semantic network of Unified Medical Language System (UMLS), for the reflection of potential of ITM -at least in the level of its concepts- in a universal paradigm.Methods: The method of this research has three phases: System analysis method, Documentary method and System designing method. In the first phase, the structure of UMLS and ITM are studied and UMLS structure is searched for the ideal location of ITM. In the second phase, literature and resources of ITM analyzed, then three examples prepares which includes: “Urine color” sign, “Epilepsy” disease, and “valerian” herbal drug, with whole of their branches, was extracted from among of total category of ITM science. Finally in the last phase, the examples that was extracted in second phase, was mapped with the UMLS concepts. In this case, conceptual and semantically relations analyzed and some new semantically relation are proposed for the first time.Findings: Outcome of this research is a prototype of ITM structure and it's semantically relation with UMLS concepts in the UMLS.Discussion and conclusion: The results indicate that although the current domain of UMLS has been covered suitable number of ITM’s concepts, but UMLS cannot reflex complete and formal structure from ITM’s knowledge. In this thesis, the hierarchical structure of ITM is designed for the first time in the base of international models. On the other hand, the location of ITM science in UMLS structure and conceptual relation between ITM concepts and UMLS concepts are proposed for the first time.

Genetics and physiopathology have shown that the incidence of a disease can arise from different etiologies including mutation in different genes and various molecular mechanisms. However, the clinical signs can be apparently common. Furthermore, the patients may be different in terms of drug absorbance, and effect, effectiveness, and side-effects of the drugs. Thus, along with following the therapeutic approaches, while prescribing a drug, physicians make use of their inference based on their personal experiences.In modern pharmaceutical sciences, it is tried to find ways to produce more effective drugs on the basis of pharmacogenetics and not only disease mechanism or genetics. The objectives of this approach are to achieve maximal clinical response with the least side-effects and production of drugs for a particular individual or disease. Nevertheless, estimation of the effectiveness and probable side-effects of drugs are so complex, since they result from the interaction of many known and unknown factors with each other. Research institutes are seeking new research methodologies to achieve the simplest and the most cost-effective methods with the highest success rate.In the Iranian traditional medicine, temperament is a key concept in defining health and illness of human. In this viewpoint, as the fingerprint of no one is similar to that of another person, temperament of no one is similar to that of others. Moreover, specific changes occur in the individual’s temperament in many diseases, which can be differentiated according to a set of defined and classified concepts.It is assumed that by categorizing patients according to their type of disease and considering the patients’ temperament, the disease temperament, and the drugs’ temperament, drug effectiveness or the probability of side-effects occurrence can be predicted more accurately. In other words, the way of accomplishing pharmacogenetic objectives can be shortened by considering the temperament phenotypes.

The first step in determination of the Islamic and Iranian scientists’ contribution to medical science advancements and also achieving their knowledge is critical and comparative analysis of their knowledge versus modern sciences. In this study, we have compared some points of “muscles” treaties of the Persian book “Tashrih-e badan-e ensan” (human body anatomy), also known as Tashrih-e Mansuri, by Mansur Ibn Mohamad Ibn Ahmad Shirazi with modern science. In this paper, nine points were compared and criticized, including:1- describing the brain function and that brain is the origin of sense and movement2- accompanying of nerves, connective tissue, tendons, and ligament with muscular fibers3- the function of muscles, mechanism of muscle traction, five criteria for classification of body muscles including the size of a muscle, its shape, its status, its combination with other muscles, and having or lacking tendons, the performance of antagonist muscles, considering extensor digitorum longus, which ends in four tendons, and describing dorsal interossei muscles. Moreover, 31 short points were extracted from the most detailed image in the “muscles” treatise. Five noteworthy points of this section are the number of abdominal wall muscles, bladder sphincter, the muscular part of male genital organ, muscular part of pharynx, and the muscles whose origin or insertion are hyoid bone.

In different schools of thought, there are various theories and definition for ethics. In the Obligation school, an ethical act is the one without any intention that is only caused by the obligation, and the objective of the act is only accomplishment of the obligation. The other theory regarding the ethical conscience is the dominant theory of materialists, which indicates that ethics originates from the human’s prudent thought. It is advised for human being to respect other people. The main problem of this theory is that such ethical approach can be dominated only where the powers are equal. However, if one side is powerful and the other side is weak, no factor or power can invite the powerful side t observe ethics. Another theory in this regard is based upon balance. According to this theory, good act or ethical act is beautiful, and the basis of such beauty is the balance. Among these, the attitude of Islam toward ethical act is noteworthy. Basically, in Islam, the real rights of all individuals should be observed without any exception. Thus, in Islam it is stated that the truth requirements should be observed rather than the emotions requirements. In other words, according to Holy Quran, the real rights of all individuals in a community should be observed without any exception, and the measure for these rights is the religion, which originates from the general force and overall requirement of the Creation.

Introduction: Phlebotomy is one of the main components of the Islamic medicine, which is still in use for the purpose of treatment of fever and inflammatory diseases. Although it has been effective in treatment of a wide spectrum of diseases, its mechanism of action is not still accurately determined. One hypothesis in this regard proposes that phlebotomy modulates immune system. Thus, we have evaluated the probable effect of phlebotomy on immune system modulation by measuring the serum level of hepatitis B antibody after hepatitis B vaccination.Methods: In the study, two groups (experiment and control) each consisted of 25 young male volunteers in the age range of 18-25 were evaluated. The participants of the two groups received hepatitis B vaccine twice, with one month interval. The experiment group participants also underwent phlebotomy one time. The hepatitis B antibody titer was measured three times (before, one month after, and three months after vaccination) using ELISA in IU/L.Findings: The results showed that the antibody level increase to 81.3 and 57.46 IU/L one and three months, respectively, in the control group, while the level in the experiment group was 41.3 and 16.26 IU/L one and three months after vaccination, respectively. In spite of the lower increase in antibody titer of the experiment group after three months, the difference was not statistically significant.Discussion and conclusion: Immunization with hepatitis B vaccine led to an increase in specific antibody production in both groups. It seems that phlebotomy in men of this age range does not affect the level of antibody production.

Performing any laboratory study and evaluation on medicinal plants of traditional medicine relies on documented information of medicinal plants with definite scientific names. Thus, here we address the issue of scientific names to make traditional medicine closer to the modern medicine. To remove any potential ambiguity, we prepared a list of plants that there is a consensus about their scientific name. To this end, first we drew up a list of ancient Iranian and non-Iranian medicinal plants with their scientific names. Then, we added the names of medicinal plants on the market as well as the common Iranian plants. The primary list consisted of the scientific names of 2962 medicinal plants. The names then were critically reviewed and compared with scientific descriptions of reliable textbooks such as "Makhzan al-Adwiya" and "Al-Seidene" by Al-Biruni. After that, we selected the plants with a good agreement between their scientific names on the one hand, and their traditional name and description in ancient books, on the other hand. Consequently, we prepared a list of almost 700 species of medicinal plants (400 traditional medicinal plants) with definite scientific names.