The Art of Medicine and Pharmacology in Ancient Iran

Medicine and pharmacology were in fact two supreme arts, and those who reach the top of these sciences should have an artistic viewpoint and potential. The ancient country of Iran, as one of the founders of human culture and civilization, has played a great role in development and progress of the arts and sciences of medicine and pharmacology through the world. During the previous historical eras, by providing different fundamental theories of medicine on the quality of development of the diseases and restoration of health and also the appropriate usage of plants and natural materials in treatment of diseases, the country has played an important role in development of medical sciences in the world. The theory of the four temperaments, which is considered as the basis of traditional medicine and is known as the theories and fundamentals of Greek medicine, was explained in details in the book “Bundehesh” centuries before the culmination of the Greek civilization and issuing of Hippocratic texts. Moreover, the name of many plants and useful medical materials had explained in the texts remained from Zoroaster in the book “Avesta.” Therefore, Iran can be considered as one of the main founders of the art and science of medicine through the world, and the inappropriate term of “Greek medicine” should be corrected.