مجله طب سنتی اسلام و ایران
سال سوم شماره 1 (پیاپی 9، بهار 1391)

Cancer is the second cause of death throughout the world. Treatment of cancers is so complicated. Moreover، discovery of novel anticancer drugs with high effectiveness، low toxicity، selective effect on cells، at reasonable costs is a major concern of the pharmaceutical industry. Referring to the traditional medicine and using the information available in it is a reliable start point in methodology of drug discovery. Although etiology and treatment of cancer in the Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM) is different from those in the modern medicine، medical treatment is one of the main foundations of cancer treatment in the TIM. It seems that drugs، especially those of the plant origin used in the TIM could be an appropriate initiative to achieve in research projects aiming at development of new anti-cancer drugs. With regard to their origin، the drugs used in the TIM are classified into plant، inorganic، and animal drugs. In the literature review of the study، we respectively found 201، 47، and 28 drugs of plant، animal، and inorganic origin for treatment of cancer. Among the 201 plant drugs، we selected 48 plants. In this study، we chose the plants for which anti-cancer properties have been mentioned in the TIM and then described their characteristics. The plants selected for treatment of cancer were chosen from the books Al-Hawi (Rhazes)، the Canon in medicine (Avicenna)، Makhzan-Al Advieh (Aghili Khorasani)، and Ikhtiyarat-e- Badi’ei (Ansari Shirazi). Furthermore، we introduced the plants with known anti-cancer effects in modern medicine. It has been shown that many plants used in the TIM contain antioxidant agents or show anti-cancer effects on cell lines or in animal studies. The 48 plants evaluated in the study are some examples of this. Many of these plants have not undergone accurate laboratory investigations.

Amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea are the commonest menstrual disorders women experience around the world. In Iran، the high prevalence of secondary amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea has been reported in different studies. Amenorrhea is defined as cessation of menses for three consecutive cycles or cessation of menses for more than six months in a woman with previously abnormal cycles. Oligomenorrhea occurs when delay between the menstrual bleedings is more than 36 days. Since the condition affects girls and young women in the reproductive age، it may lead to major complications. Therefore، timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease is of great importance. Traditional Iranian Medicine، as a holistic medical approach، has particular viewpoints toward diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Although the theories presented by TIM hakims have been explained with the particular terminology of the TIM، they are consistent with modern gynecology in some cases. In the TIM، amenorrhea is defined as the interval between two menstrual bleedings more than two months، or menstrual cycles is completely ceased، or there is small amount of menstrual bleeding. In the TIM، it is believed that normal and regular menstrual bleeding indicates health. In general، the etiologies mentioned for amenorrhea are associated with uterus factors، or factors related to other organs. In the study، we reviewed the etiology of amenorrhea in the TIM to possibly open new horizons in approaching the problem and be helpful in treatment of the disease in young women in the reproductive age. However، it should be noted that this is the beginning of approach to menstrual problems with a different view، which requires further research.

In the Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM)، 36 different drug formulations have been mentioned. Each of these formulations is used for specific diseases، and deliberate points should be followed in their development. In the present paper، one of the most important drug formulations in the TIM، etrifal، is described. Firstly، according to recent studies، the antioxidant، anti-arthritis، anti-cancer، and ant-bacterial effects، as well as the pharmaceutical studies on the formulation have been mentioned. Then، viewpoint of the TIM toward atrifel and some major forms of etrifal، its properties، the formulation temperament، dosage، effect، and duration of action were considered according to major books on drug formulations in the TIM. These books were called Qarabadin. Finally، the phytochemical evaluation of etrifal-e saghir prepared according to the TIM sources is addressed.

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by different strains of Leishmania. The disease affects many people in different countries، particularly in the developing countries. With regard to the symptoms and complications، the disease is categorized into the three types of cutaneous، cutaneous-mucosal، and visceral leishmaniasis. The cutaneous type of the disease is more common، and is prevalent in some countries including Iran. Leishmaniasis is transmitted via the bit of Phlebotomus papatasi and some other species of Phlebotomus. According to the World Health Organization reports، more than 350 million people in 88 countries are at the risk of the disease. Currently، 12 million people around the world are affected by the disease، and it is estimated that 1-2 million new cases of the disease occur each year. Almost 90% of the cutaneous leishmaniasis cases occur in Afghanistan، Brazil، Iran، Peru، Saudi Arabia، and Syria. Considering the several and dangerous adverse effects of currently available drug formulations، many attempts have been carried out to find drugs of plant origin that are more effective and affordable with less adverse effects. Evaluation and identification of medicinal plants used in the traditional medicine and their constituents could facilitate achieving this goal. So far، the anti-leishmaniasis effect of some plants and plant compounds such as quinones، terpenes، alkaloids، coumarins، flavonoids، lactones، chalcones، tetralones، and saponins have been confirmed. In this study، we have reviewed the medicinal plants used in the traditional medicine of countries and the plants’ constituents to introduce new sources to achieve compounds effective against leishmaniasis

Ethnobotany is a method of scientific monitoring of the information available in public beliefs. The science deals with application of plants in the daily life of an ethnic group. A major part of the information used in ethnobotanical studies is related to the data obtained from the natural course of life of an ethnic group and their viewpoints toward plants. The data is generally in mind and language of the people، and has an oral structure. In this regard، prior to performing any ethnobotanical study، the gap between the oral information in people’s life and data scientifically selected in the research methodology should be addressed. This gap would also bring about the question whether an ethnobotanical study and its findings are scientific or not. In the current study، we have provided some answers to the principles of beginning an ethnobotanical study and emphasis on considering these studies as the foundation of further studies.

Iranian ancestors were the main founders of important branches of knowledge and education، particularly medicine. In the traditional medicine، the knowledge of medicine was divided into the two categories of theoretical and practical، each of which had a special method of teaching. Lecture in small groups، question and answer، problem solving، teaching by tables and algorithms، and using poems were major education methods. Teaching of practical courses was performed in educational hospitals. Theoretical courses were sometimes held at the bedside. Moreover، writing thesis and taking final comprehensive examination were necessary to obtain medical certificate. By integrating different teaching methods of theoretical courses، Iranian scientists considered the level of learning and memorization of the scholars. Developing the ability to accept social responsibilities after graduation is one of the items that received great attention in the Islamic pedagogy. Another important point in ancient Iran، which received more attention than today، was freedom of studying all majors including medicine. However، after graduation، the scholar had to write the thesis and pass the final comprehensive examination to obtain medical certificate and work permission. This is obviously absent in education of general medicine in today’s Iran.

Medical geography is a branch of human geography that is largely influenced by and dependent to the natural geography. This branch of geography identifies the effects of natural factors on human body. These factors include climate، severity and direction of wind، sunshine، natural radioactive radiations، altitude; type، texture، and composition of the soil، vegetation and different living organisms، and quality and quantity of water. Medical geography is in the context of geography; i. e.، it is always dependent on the earth and mainly addresses the geographical distribution، causes، and prevalence of the diseases that are in some ways influenced by environmental factors. In this science، three factors; environment (with all its aspects)، human، and disease; are studied separately and in relation to each other. The responsibility of a medical geographer is discovery of the disease focal points، determination of disease distributions، identifying the geographical causes and factors that lead to development and spread of the diseases، and finally determination of the cause and effect relationship among geographical and disease causes and conditions. In the current paper، we have explained the ideas and beliefs of ancient physicians and some scientists of this branch of medicine such as Avicenna about the afore-mentioned items.

Traditional medicine is a combination of knowledge، skills، and activities that are based upon the native theories، beliefs، and experience of different cultures and are used in prevention، diagnosis، and treatment of physical and psychological diseases. Medicinal foods and food medicines are parts of this set، which can be currently used for introduction and design of functional foods. Functional foods and nutraceuticals are novel topics in medical sciences that have applicable definitions، which are to a great extent compatible to the definitions of medicinal foods and food medicines in the Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM). The TIM also contain and introduce several medicinal foods and food medicines. The close relationship of these topics in the TIM and modern sciences and this unique characteristic of the TIM can be demonstrated by introduction and revision of these cases and then comparing them with modern scientific references. To this end، the orders، routes of administration، contraindications، and therapeutic properties of these products in the sources of traditional and modern medicine can be found and also some effective cases in the TIM sources be introduced. In fact، using this source، novel functional foods could be introduced using the information lies in the TIM sources and in future a comprehensive source could be introduced. In this paper، by evaluating three valuable TIM sources of the Canon of medicine، Al-Shamel، and Makhzan Aladvieh، some edible products were scientifically introduced. These products are used and food and also have therapeutic and medicinal effects; as mentioned in the TIM sources. In this study، the items adopted from the TIM sources were classified s follows: bread and cereals، dairies، spices، nuts، grains، vegetables، fruits، drinks، meats، fried foods، and miscellaneous products.

Iranian medicine is an ancient medical school with history of thousands of years. Culmination of the Islamic culture led to growth and prosperity of the school. However، the school currently does not have a global spread and is mostly known in the countries lying in the realm of ancient Iran، including India and Arabic countries، with other names. In contrast، traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has received world acceptance، and currently has an international spread; such that it is taught and clinically used in the five continents. Due to the historical neighborhood، Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM) and TCM have some common concepts and probably had bilateral effects on each other. These two schools of medicine have some similarities and differences in foundations on the basis of the ancient cultures of Iran and China. However، it is important to investigate the strategies and trends the TCM have passed to become global. Then، the experience can be used to spread the TIM. It seems that the following strategies are helpful to put this goal into action: 1- Collection of ancient texts and treatments currently available in folklore، 2- Developing academic education of the TIM، 3- Carrying out scientific studies to confirm the methods and treatments، 4- Integration of TIM and modern medicine and establishing integrated health centers، and 5- Employment of scientifically approved treatments of the TIM in the primary health care system. In this paper، some aspects of the TCM were clarified and the factors effective in its global spread were concerned. In the following، it is suggested that these methods and strategies be selected to achieve worldwide spread of the TIM.

The applications of traditional medicine and medicinal plants have attracted many professionals and scientists around the world. Employment of drugs of plant origin in primary health care not only in the developing countries، but also in the developed countries، where application of chemical drugs is common، has increased. Today، traditional medicine and ethnobotany are two attractive topics in many countries. Ethnobotanical studies document a number of useful plants، and also some medicinal plants، toxic plants، and plants that are used in food. The aim of ethnopharmacology is to improve the preparation method of some products that are used by people. However، to achieve this goal، some information about active compounds of these plants، the role of these compounds in development of biological effects of the plant (e. g.، antagonistic or synergistic effects)، and the toxic effects of the plants should be available. Since there are various geographic conditions in Iran، there are different ecosystems and vegetation in the country. Considering the growing need of modern world to novel drugs of plant origin and industrialization of this field، it is necessary to identify and develop appropriate plans for optimized employment of plant resources of our country. In this study، we have collected and identified the plants in some parts of Jandagh town. To this end، during 2010 and 2011، the plants of this region were collected and systematically identified. Furthermore، traditional applications of the collected plants were recorded through interviewing the native people of the region. The results indicated that most plants of the region are valuable medicinal plants. Therefore، it seems that plants ofthe region deserves further studies.

Since ancient times، plants have attracted man as the everlasting and inevitable source of food and drug. The attention has grown considerably in recent years. Therefore، it seems that carrying out ethnobotany studies is a strategy to organize and meet the growing need to medicinal plants. With regard to the ancient history and culture، and the geo graphical diversity، Iran can be an appropriate place for such studies. The current study was fulfilled to collect، identify، and perform ethnobotanical evaluation of the plants of Babol. The plants that were studied belonged to 55 families، among which Asteraceae، Rosaceae، and Lamiaceae، had the highest share with 8، 8، and 7 plant species، respectively. This was expected as in Mazandaran province the distribution of these families is higher than other families. Among the plants collected، 15 species had local and traditional applications and four species were used as food. Plants with medicinal applications mainly belonged to Asteraceae، Lamiaceae، and Apiaceae families. With regard to the results obtained، it seems that paying special attention to documentation of the Iranian treatment culture could be helpful in preservation of this heritage and also be helpful in many different investigations.

Every year، as Ramadan begins، the main concern of many patients is that whether they can fast or not. The current study addresses the question in diabetic patients with regard to the sources of modern medicine and Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM). Several studies in modern medicine have shown that fasting is not harmful and is not associated with complications in type 2 diabetic patients who are on diet or take glucose lowering agents; rather it can be helpful for these patients. This is also mentioned in the TIM sources. Therefore، taking into account the main principles of maintaining health and providing appropriate training for diabetic patients، fasting in Ramadan can be suggested for these patients.

Since in Ramadan، particularly in summer، the people are at the risk of dehydration and waste materials are excreted into urine in high concentrations، the health of urinary tract، especially in patients with urinary tract stones should be carefully considered. This study was performed to evaluate the causes and preventive measures for development of problem in such patients with regard to the sources of modern medicine and Traditional Iranian Medicine. According to the findings of this bibliographic study، if renal patients avoid eating harmful foods، improve their GI status، and perform useful exercises and massages، and also take the foods that are considered in the paper، fasting is not contraindicated for these patients. Rather، it can be considered as a part of their treatment protocol and accelerate their improvement.

One of the common problems people experience during Ramadan is halitosis، which sometimes bother the peers as well as the fasting individuals. The study addresses the causes and methods of prevention of halitosis with regard to the sources of modern medicine and Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM). In the study، we have introduced five factors as the commonest causes of halitosis. To avoid these factors، some suggestions including following health measures before and during Ramadan are provided. Considering the prevalence of halitosis and lack of appropriate training about its causes and the prevention methods، training people about nutrition and maintenance of health in the TIM along with dental care could play an important role in control of the problem.