THE IMPORTANCE OF CANCER THERAPY IN THE IRANIAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

Abstract

Cancer is one of the most important diseases from ancient time, which is mentioned by early Islamic and Iranian physicians such as Rhazes, Avicenna, Akhawaini and Jorgani. They knew the different kind of cancer and have distinguished between various kind of normal tumors and cancertumors. Jorgani explains well the organs which are susceptible to become cancer and mentions, that by the women it affecte more at the breast and uterus and by men at the throat, testicle, genitals and intestine. The works of the above mentioned scholars were studied systematically and compared with each others. The result is as follow: By the treatment of intestine cancer they have recommended to make any operation and the use of drugs such as almond oil, small fishes, spinach and pumpkin. By another kind of cancers, they have recommended to use vomiting drugs such as milk water, ephetimum at milk water or at honey water Very important is they belief on the cold taking of the liver with some foods and ointments and the use of tautens with rose oil, lead filings at cichoric water or coriander water and the extract of lettuce and portulac or plantago mucillage topical For infected cancers they have used the cleansing of tumors with felouwort, frankincense and lead ash. The surgical operations is recommended only by small tumors and the tumors, which are far away from basic organs. They have recommended the cauterization after the surgical operations The knowledge of the ancient Islamic and Iranian physians on cancer was very developted and the principle of the treatment was logic. The use of lead preparations by local and oral uses was very developted, and the use of herbal drugs with antiinflammtory effect was very expanded.