The Review of Indices of Liver Temperament (Mizaj) in the Iranian Traditional Medicine (Persian Medicine)

Liver temperament (mizaj) is one of the main concepts that have an essential role in all aspects of prevention, diagnosis and treatment. In the Iranian Traditional medicine (ITM) textbooks, a lot of indices for liver temperament and dystemperament are expressed. The purpose of this study is assessment of the views of written sources of Iranian traditional medicine for the diagnosis of liver temperament.

In this review paper, some important textbooks of ITM were studied. Also, scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Magiran was investigated using the keywords of liver and Mizaj or Temperament.

In ITM, various sign or symptoms are used to determine liver temperament, which are in fact, a part of the general temperament of the body. Among these symptoms, color of the body, phenotype, liver or body palpitation, pulse and the status of the vessel, food or air reaction, gastrointestinal symptoms, such as the quality of stool and urinary excretion, digestion, thirst, appetite, etc., and body hair, especially the hair on the abdomen, are more important.

In the ITM textbooks, diagnostic indices of liver temperament have been completely considered, but there is no mention of the diagnostic importance of each of the indices. According to the findings of this study, more clinical studies are suggested to determine the diagnostic importance of each of the symptoms, as well as the design and validation of the diagnostic tool for liver temperament.