مجله طب سنتی اسلام و ایران
سال شانزدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 61، بهار 1404)

Myrobalan (Haleeleh), an ancient plant of the Combretaceae family, is more commonly known in Persian Medicine as "Ehleelaj" and "Helaj", and possesses numerous purported medicinal properties. This study investigates the properties, uses, and therapeutic effects of myrobalan as described in Persian Medicine literature. The research employed a review methodology, utilizing library searches of original literature of Persian Medicine. Hakim Aqili Shirazi Khorasani, in the most important and comprehensive Persian Medicine pharmacopeia, Makhzan al-Adwiya, has divided myrobalan into the following types: cumin, barley, black, Chinese, yellow, and Chebulic (Kabuli) myrobalan. Persian Medicine texts describe myrobalan as having numerous therapeutic applications, including benefits for the digestive system (e.g., increased gastric moisture), cognitive function, hemorrhoidal bleeding, and periodontal health. Each type of myrobalan exerts specific actions in the body, depending on its temperament and characteristics. A precise and scientific understanding of the nature and properties of different types of myrobalan, based on valuable texts of Persian Medicine, can pave the way for the optimal use of this medicinal plant in new pharmaceutical compounds and formulations.

In recent years, the increasing use of herbal medicine and its products has highlighted the role of herbal medicine in the global economic cycle, leading to a substantial increase in investments in this industry. It is predicted that the value of global trade in herbal medicine will reach $5 trillion by 2050. Meanwhile, Iran has a small share of global trade in this industry. This is despite the fact that Iran's climate and soil conditions are among the most favorable in the world for the cultivation and propagation of herbal medicine, enabling the capability to grow and produce thousands of species of herbal medicine. In this regard, examining the current status of the field of herbal medicine and traditional medicine shows that there are numerous obstacles and problems facing this field. Studies show that a significant part of problems stem from improper implementation of the functions defined for the role-players in the field of herbal medicine and traditional medicine.

Given the importance of this issue, the present study has designed a system model withing the field of herbal medicine and traditional medicine industry through a descriptive-analytical method, utilizing library study with reference to primary sources.

Findings show that the most important damage and problem identified in the field of herbal medicine and traditional medicine is related to the lack of an independent structure for executive policy-making and integrated management of the supply chain of herbal medicine and traditional medicine. Additionally, there are weaknesses in regulation and supervision of the activities of this field, particularly given the multiplicity of role-players and, indeed, the dimension of the governance system.

Conclusively, to achieve the desired situation, the present study has developed a desirable structure in order to realize the desired governance system to realize the main functions of this system, including policy-making and strategic monitoring, regulation and arbitration, and governance control. Subsequently, the improvement action plan in the seven areas identified in the system model is depicted through a responsibility allocation matrix.

The application of natural smoke, particularly in traditional medicine, is prevalent in over 50 countries for therapeutic reasons; however, the chemical compositions and biological characteristics of many of these smokes remain inadequately identified. A notable instance is the medicinal smoke of Anbarnesa (the dung of the domesticated species Equus asinus), which has been traditionally employed to address various diseases. This study aimed to determine the chemical compositions of Anbarnesa smoke from both male and female donkeys and to explore its antioxidant capacity through GC/MS analysis.

Dung from both male and female donkeys (including immature and lactating ones) was gathered in the spring from the Meshginshahr region of Ardabil province. The smoke produced from their combustion was captured and concentrated in methanol. Following the extraction process, the samples were prepared for chromatographic analysis.

A total of 53 compounds were detected across six distinct samples, all with identification percentages exceeding 90%. Among the primary components were phenolic compounds, including phenol, guaiacol, p-cresol, and o-cresol. The total phenol percentage in the samples ranged from 37% to 60%.

Based on the results of this study, Anbarnesa smoke contains a substantial amount of phenolic compounds and exhibits considerable antioxidant properties, which may serve as a foundation for its therapeutic applications and additional studies.

Based on Persian Medicine (PM), all creatures and every human have a specific temperament (Mizaj). Temperament results from an interaction of four qualities of hotness, coldness, wetness, and dryness. These qualities are created by four elements of fire, water, air, and earth. Based on the combination of the elements, every individual has their own unique temperament. In PM, it is believed that temperament plays an important role in physiologic changes, health level, and susceptibility to different diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the correlation between temperament (body Mizaj) and the risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

This is a case-control study conducted on 160 patients with MS and 480 healthy individuals in Kerman. Data were gathered by a three-part researcher-conducted questionnaire including personal information, some environmental factors, and Mojahedi's Mizaj questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18 with descriptive and inferential statistics (χ2, univariate and multivariate logistic regression).

Individuals with a "cold and wet" temperament exhibited a lower risk of developing MS compared to those with a balanced temperament (the cold temperament: OR=0.24 (95% CI: 0.08–0.75), and the wet temperament: OR= 0.38 (95% CI: 0.20–0.71). Also, multivariate logistic regression test revealed “cold & moderate” as well as “moderate & wet” temperaments as significant protective factors against developing MS.

The study indicated that the “cold & moderate” and “moderate & wet” temperaments are protective factors against MS, but such results are preliminary and their mechanisms could not be supported by the traditional literature. Therefore, it is suggested that future studies be conducted with more accurate methodological methods such as cohort studies to justify temperamental changes in patients with MS.

The period from the 3rd to 7th centuries AH (9th to 13th century AH) is considered as the period of growth and prosperity in knowledge within the Islamic realm, which is why it is often referred to as the Islamic Golden Age. Medical knowledge is one of the most important branches of knowledge that has grown during this period thanks to the efforts of the great scholars of Islamic civilization, especially Iranians. Hence, examining medical concepts during this period helps greatly in understanding the path of development of medical knowledge. Hot swellings (Uram Har) are one of the complications and clinical problems in the literature of Persian medicine that have attracted the attention of scholars and physicians in this period. Prominent scientists of Islamic civilization have provided classifications and definitions about Uram Har and associated diseases related in their medical books. Therefore, via reviewing and analyzing these definitions and classifications, this study endeavors to explain different views about these Uram in order to identify the types of Uram Har. Examining the views of physicians of this period reveals various types of these Uram such as Jawarsiyya, Jadri, Jamrah, Namla, etc. The clinical symptoms and causes of these swellings have been studied by scholars in different periods, which have been discussed separately in this article. This study provides a comprehensive look at the classification of hot Swellings in Persian medicine based on the views of physicians from the third to seventh centuries AH in the Islamic era, which can be the basis for future research in this field.

During the Qajar period, infectious diseases were widespread due to health problems, poverty, lack of awareness, and deficiencies in quarantine. Problems related to burial and transportation of corpses also contributed to the spread of diseases. The government made efforts to control diseases through quarantine, vaccination, and public education. This article examines the history of vaccination in the Qajar period and the challenges of the health system during that period. Compulsory smallpox vaccination was one of the most important measures of this period. The efforts of the National Assembly to allocate budget for health services are also examined in this article. The role of newspapers in increasing health literacy of the public was significant. However, public resistance, lack of budget, and problems related to education and information were important challenges in this regard. The aim of this article is to depict the development of the health system and the government's approach to controlling infectious diseases with modern tools during the Qajar period.

Among the unpublished Persian medical manuscripts, there are two copies of the manuscript titled Tajārib al-Hikmah. One of these copies is preserved in Ayatollah Mar’ashi Najafi Library in Qom, and the second manuscript is kept in the library of Astan Quds Razavi in Mashhad. Pages have fallen out from the beginning of both manuscripts, and there is no mention of the author’s name in the surviving pages. However, this book has been attributed to Ghiyath al-Din Ali ibn Nizam al-Din Mahmud Kazeruni. No information about this person was found in the sources. Based on the studies conducted in this article, it was proven that the correct name of these two manuscripts is Khulāsat al-Tajārib, authored by Baha al-Dawlah Razi. The two manuscripts called Tajārib al-Hikmah can be used in the correction of Khulāsat al-Tajārib.