Medical Manuscripts Research Articles

The Channel Branches & Network Channels on the Tianhui Lacquered Meridian Figurine — Taking the Heart-Regulated Channel as an Example

Abstract: Along with the surge of unearthed medical literature and cultural relics in recent years, the network of channels in the system of medical channels (meridians) during the early Western Han dynasty have become much clearer gradually. Among them, the increasing number of channel branches, network channels and needle insertion holes (acupoints) is an important feature of the development of classical channel medicine during the Western Han dynasty. This is not only a reflection of the expanding requirements of the theoretical system of the main trunk channels, but also an inevitable result of the continuous enrichment and accumulation of clinical experience. This article integrates the information about channel branches, network channels, inscriptions, dots and further relics on the Tianhui (天回) Lacquered Meridian Figurine to compare the unearthed literature of the channel genre with the transmitted classical literature about acupuncture. The "Heart-Regulated Channel" in Medical Manuscripts on Bamboo Slips from Tianhui (《天回医简》) serves as an example to explain the occurrence, development and changes of the channel branches and network channels in the early system of medical channels.

Content Analysis Study of Prophetic Prayer Medicament in Kitab Tib MSS1653 Malay Medical Manuscript

Content Analysis Study of Prophetic Prayer Medicament in Kitab Tib MSS1653 Malay Medical Manuscript

Surgical instruments for plastic surgery operations in Ancient Greek and Byzantine times

Background-Objective: Even though the term “plastic surgery” was first introduced in the 19th century, the study of ancient Greek and Byzantine medical manuscripts reveals a significant number of plastic surgery operations performed during these periods. The aim of this work is to present the surgical instruments that were used to conduct such operations.Material-Method: The original manuscripts of ancient Greek and Byzantine physicians, including Hippocrates, Galen, Oribasius, Aetius, Paul of Aegina and Alexander of Tralles, were studied and analysed. The references concerning plastic surgery instruments were marked and are presented.Results-Discussion: Ancient Greek and Byzantine physicians performed several plastic surgery procedures, i.e. reconstructions of defects in the nose, ears, eyelids, lips, cheeks, and forehead, while surgical restoration of female breasts, hypospadias, elderly loose jawbone, penile tumours, syndactyly, and polydactyly was also described in detail. Several surgical instruments with various functions were used for these procedures, such as tools for tissue cutting (scalpels, chisels), for tissue grasping (forceps), tissue preparation, haemostasis (cauteries), as well as tissue suturing. Many of these tools had a wide range of uses, while others appear to have been specifically designed for plastic surgery procedures.Conclusion: Ancient Greek and Byzantine physicians possessed a comprehensive set of surgical instruments that effectively supported a wide range of plastic surgery procedures.

Malay Medical Manuscript of The Book of Tib Mss2515: An Analysis of Skin Diseases Treatment

Malay Medical Manuscript of The Book of Tib Mss2515: An Analysis of Skin Diseases Treatment

From the Qing Imperial Printing Office to the Hands of Medical Practitioners: Manuscripts Containing Parts of the Golden Mirror of the Orthodox Lineage of Medicine

Abstract The Imperially Commissioned Golden Mirror of the Orthodox Lineage of Medicine (Yuzuan yizong jinjian 御纂醫宗金鑑), first printed in 1742, was one of the most important and widely circulating works on medicine in late imperial China. This paper analyzes a group of twenty-three medical manuscripts from the nineteenth and early twentieth century that include parts of the Golden Mirror. The findings suggest that most of the manuscripts should not be considered mere copies, but as deliberate selections. They served didactic as well as epistemic functions that differ from, or go beyond, those that could be fulfilled by the printed Golden Mirror (or a faithful manuscript copy alone). This is indicated not only by different content type selections (verse form for memorization or recitation; prose form for study or consultation) and the combination with medical knowledge from other sources, but also by the ways in which these contents were formatted, usually to facilitate reading and navigation. Adjustment, updating or supplementation of Golden Mirror contents likewise functioned epistemically, integrating previous medical knowledge into the medical discourse of the time. Hence, the findings of the present study help to clarify the lasting importance of manuscripts in the age of print, for which possibilities of adapting knowledge to personal interests and requirements seem to have been decisive factors.

Spears and Spikes: Illness, Emotion and Bodily Invasion in Old Norse Abscess Narratives

Abstract The Old Norse medical corpus, both manuscript and epigraphic, illuminates understandings of the body and of the relationship between sickness, somatic emotion and the perceived integrity of the individual self in Viking and medieval Scandinavia. This essay argues that Old Norse medical texts and charms understand illness not only as an imbalance of humours but also as an invasive, anthropomorphised agent that seeks to breach the boundaries of the human body. Falling victim to illness is understood as a zero-sum power exchange, visualised through images of martial defeat and sexualised submission. Strong emotion can be rendered as physical illness in Old Norse literature because both forces threaten the integrity of the contained and individualised self. As a thematic case study, this essay examines runic healing charms, late medieval medical manuscripts and saga episodes dealing with boils and abscesses, which are attributed both to the surging of vital spirits and to the action of supernatural disease agents, to examine the way these texts understand the embodied self.

Artificial Intelligence–Assisted Technology Medical Manuscript Writing: New Challenges for Reviewers and Editors

Artificial Intelligence–Assisted Technology Medical Manuscript Writing: New Challenges for Reviewers and Editors

HERBS TO TREAT FEMALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION (MATI PUTIK) IN MALAY MEDICAL MANUSCRIPTS

Introduction: Lack of libido is one of the most common symptoms of female sexual dysfunction among women in the global community. In Malaysia, low levels of libido have been demonstrated in women experiencing mati putik or female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Due to the lack of awareness about FSD, people commonly misunderstand that the signs and symptoms are due to the aging process. The most common signs of mati putik or FSD are fatigue and no desire or interest in engaging in sexual activity. To date, there has been no comprehensive review of the practice of Malay ancestors regarding FSD. Thus, the aim of this study was to document the formulations and practices recorded in Malay medical manuscripts for enhancing female sexual libido. Methods: The secondary texts of Malay medical manuscripts were reviewed to discover the ingredients used as aphrodisiac agents in the Malay Archipelago. The Malay term shahwat was the keyword used to describe sexual libido in the Malay community. A comparative analysis was then conducted to evaluate the materia medica found in the academic literature. Results: Four formulations were found that comprised four different aphrodisiac ingredients, including cabbage, fenugreek, kati, and honey. From all the ingredients, only fenugreek has found clinical evidence in the academic literature. Conclusion: Therefore, it is suggested that the materia medica found in the study be further explored to demonstrate its relationship with libido. This study is important as a part of preserving Malay medical knowledge and heritage, as well as providing insight into information on aphrodisiac plants for enhancing women’s libido that can be applied in conventional medicine.

Practitioner Responses to the Tianhui Laoguanshan Medical Manuscripts and Artifacts

Abstract In the process of editing this special double issue of Asian Medicine we were keen to print the responses of practitioners of Chinese medicine currently still in practice. We therefore sent colleagues the article by Gu Man, Zhou Qi, and Liu Changhua, “Techniques for Piercing the Mai Recorded in the Laoguanshan Han Tomb Bamboo Slips” and the article by Zhou Qi, “Research on the Lacquered Channel Figurine Excavated from a Han Tomb in Tianhui” while they were in preparation. We are very grateful to Edward Neal and George He for their generous responses. —Eds.

Techniques for Piercing the Mai Recorded in the Laoguanshan Han Tomb Bamboo Slips

Abstract The text discussed in this paper is part of the collection of bamboo slip medical manuscripts excavated from the Laoguanshan Han tomb outside of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, in 2012. We have given it the title Piercing Methods based on its contents. This text provides invaluable new material for understanding the historical development of Chinese medicine and acupuncture over the course of the Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE). We combine analyses of excavated manuscripts, received texts, and excavated artifacts to reconstruct the piercing methods from the early Han presented in this text. Three primary sets of techniques and associated piercing tools have been identified: mai piercing, division piercing, and piercing water (swelling), although only the first technique that concerns treating the mai is dealt with comprehensively in this article.

Preliminary Report on the Tianhui Bamboo Manuscript Methods of Decoctions with Blended Formulas to Treat Sixty Ailments

Abstract Among the medical manuscripts excavated in 2012–13 from the Han tombs at Tianhui Township in Sichuan Province is a collection of recipes for treating sixty ailments. Under each ailment heading are one or more recipes, making 106 recipes in total. Because its content focuses on “combining, blending and producing formulas,” the authors decided to name this collection the Methods of Decoctions with Blended Formulas to Treat Sixty Ailments after a title of a manuscript transmitted to Cang Gong as recorded in the “Biographies of Bian Que and Cang Gong” chapter of the Records of the Grand Historian, circa 100 BCE. The key phrase in this title, “methods of decoctions with blended formulas,” refers to methods of blending and harmonizing formulas optimally. This Tianhui manuscript preserves ancient medical recipes that had been long lost, including grain decoctions, alcoholic decoctions, and “fire formulas.” It is an invaluable source for charting the emergence of a genre of “classical formularies” in Han times that resulted in texts such as the Classical Methods of Decoctions, the title of which was noted in an ancient bibliography but until recently was thought to be entirely lost.

Jujube in Malay Medical Manuscript: A comparison from Scientific and Islamic Perspectives

Jujube or known as ‘Bidara’ in Malay customs is a beneficial plant to the human. Nowadays, it is being domestically produced into varieties of products to fulfill human needs. However, as time passed, Jujube is only seen as a source for business products while ignoring its real benefits. Thus, this paper aimed to illustrate its benefits as stated in the transliterated books of Malay medical manuscripts, with strong support from scientific and Islamic perspectives. As a common ingredient for remedies, jujube has been documented in the old manuscripts such as Kitab Tib MSS 2151, Kitab Tib Muzium Terengganu, The Medical Book of Malayan Medicine, and Kitab Al-Rahmah Fi al-Tibb Wa Al-Hikmah. Past journals and articles were analyzed to describe the benefits of jujube from scientific and Islamic points of view which are derived from the Quran and Hadith. In the selected Malay medical manuscripts, jujube was prescribed as remedy for dysentery, loss of appetite, sore throat, smallpox, and scorpion sting. Scientific findings have broadened the discoveries of its medicinal advantages with the presence of properties as anti-diarrheal, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticancer, and antiallergic. Islamic views which are derived from Quran, Hadith, and scholars’ books mainly circulate its benefits as a cleansing agent, black magic defense mechanism, and as medicines for certain illnesses. To conclude, this paper will give a review on the benefits of jujube from the ancient Malay medical manuscript, which is parallel with the Islamic perspective and supported with scientific findings.

The Prevalence of Quranic Verses Recitation in Malay Medical Treatment: A Study on Kitab Tib MSS1653 Manuscript

Abstract Al-Quran is known as the best remedy for illnesses. In Malay medical treatment, the recitation of Quranic verses was one of the treatment methods applied by Malay medical practitioners. A lot of Quranic verses were used as a prayer and documented in Malay medical manuscripts produced in the 16th to 20th centuries. Hence, this article attempts to analyse Quranic verses recitation used as a treatment method in Kitab Tib MSS1653 manuscript. This study applied qualitative methodology and library research methods. The data was analysed by using inductive, deductive, and comparative methods to provide a discussion on related objectives. The finding shows that there were 387 Quranic verses from 58 surahs were used as a treatment method discussed in this manuscript. However, there were some spelling errors in Quranic verses writing found in Malay medical manuscripts. Seven types of spelling errors are missing letter hamzah, dots removal in letters, misspelled words, additional letters, missing letters, missing words, and major spelling mistakes.

Guiding principles and proposed classification system for the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence in scientific writing in medicine.

The integration of large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence (AI) into scientific writing, especially in medical literature, presents both unprecedented opportunities and inherent challenges. This manuscript evaluates the transformative potential of LLMs for the synthesis of information, linguistic enhancements, and global knowledge dissemination. At the same time, it raises concerns about unintentional plagiarism, the risk of misinformation, data biases, and an over-reliance on AI. To address these, we propose governing principles for AI adoption that ensure integrity, transparency, validity, and accountability. Additionally, guidelines for reporting AI involvement in manuscript development are delineated, and a classification system to specify the level of AI assistance is introduced. This approach uniquely addresses the challenges of AI in scientific writing, emphasizing transparency in authorship, qualification of AI involvement, and ethical considerations. Concerns regarding access equity, potential biases in AI-generated content, authorship dynamics, and accountability are also explored, emphasizing the human author's continued responsibility. Recommendations are made for fostering collaboration between AI developers, researchers, and journal editors and for emphasizing the importance of AI's responsible use in academic writing. Regular evaluations of AI's impact on the quality and biases of medical manuscripts are also advocated. As we navigate the expanding realm of AI in scientific discourse, it is crucial to maintain the human element of creativity, ethics, and oversight, ensuring that the integrity of scientific literature remains uncompromised.

A Scoping Review on Medicinal Properties of Piper betle (Sirih) Based on Malay Medical Manuscripts and Scientific Literatures

Background: Malay medical manuscripts have deciphered the medicinal value of Piper betle (sirih) enormously. In this review, an effort was made to explore the medicinal use of P. betle and correlate this information with the scientific evidence. Methods: The information regarding the use of P. betle was retrieved from the books consisting of a Malay medical manuscript with an identification number MSS 2219 from the National Library of Malaysia. PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus databases were used to collect information regarding the scientific evidence for the medicinal use of P. betle. This review was written following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The keywords used for searching the articles included P. betle, antimicrobial, analgaesic, haepatic and gastric. Results: MSS 2219 showed that P. betle has varied medicinal uses and based on that, it can be grouped into six categories. P. betle application method was different in different conditions. In terms of the literature search, 226 articles were found, 75 articles were extracted for detailed analysis and only 23 met the inclusion criteria. The information was related to the chemical assays, in vivo and in vitro studies. Conclusion: In summary, P. betle has the potential to treat medical conditions in various types of categories as recorded in the Malay medical manuscripts and also based on scientific publications. For clinical purposes, more information is required, such as the specific mechanism involved, the best extraction method and the best dosage for treatment.

Diet and metabolism are back: The oldest known Islamic medical manuscript bridges the gap from ancient to modern gout management.

Gout is a chronic disease frequently associated with lifestyle; its prevalence is increasing in Western societies, as well as in the Middle East. Apart from its partial genetic features, diet accounts for 12% of the causality of the disease, while purine-rich foods contribute decisively to its development and evaluation. The influential Persian physician of the medieval ages, Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi (or by his Latin name Rhazes; 860-925 AD), wrote a short book (20 chapters) entitled 'Treatise on gout'. Rhazes adopted the Hippocratic humoralism, and suggested that the disease results from metabolic excess in the peripheral blood, presenting sex dimorphism and age-dependence. His therapeutic guidelines include a diet prescribed by a physician, the use of laxatives and emetics, counter-balancing excess or deficiency of bile or phlegm and analgesics, bloodletting, foot and steam baths, as well as salves and poultices as preventive measures. He appends differential dietary restrictions/suggestions for phlegmatic or choleric patients: Small rations and intake of good quality foods low in purine by 20% for phlegmatic and 28% for choleric patients, as well as the restriction of foods high in purine by 27% for phlegmatic and 22% for the choleric patients. Finally, the acidic to alkaloid food intake ratio suggested is 2/5 for choleric and 3/7 for phlegmatic patients. His suggested foods and drugs are vitamin C and B-rich complexes, thereby inhibiting the accumulation of tophi.

Revolution or Peril? The Controversial Role of Large Language Models in Medical Manuscript Writing

Revolution or Peril? The Controversial Role of Large Language Models in Medical Manuscript Writing

Writing an Effective Medical Manuscript and Avoiding Errors for Smooth Publication

Writing for a biomedical journal is an important part of completing a research project. It is vital to publish original articles or other types of articles in various medical journals. This can be a challenging process, and it requires a sense of responsibility. The process starts with conceiving an idea, forming and conducting the research, and writing about the results, before finally getting it published. Before beginning to write a paper, the language must be properly structured and technical details must be included. Additionally, a cover letter must is sent to the journal's chief editor, mentioning any ethical considerations.

The Woman Thing: Gynecological Cures in Medieval Danish Medical Manuscripts

The Woman Thing: Gynecological Cures in Medieval Danish Medical Manuscripts

Þistil, mistil, kistil: Plants of Death, Rebirth, and Magic in Medieval Scandinavian Runic Inscriptions

<i>Þistil, mistil, kistil</i>: Plants of Death, Rebirth, and Magic in Medieval Scandinavian Runic Inscriptions