Avicenna's View Research Articles

İbn-i Sina’nın Egzersize Bakışı: El- Kânûn Fi’t-Tıbb Eserinin İçerik Analizi

Objective: This study aims to examine Avicenna's view of exercise in light of the information in his book Canon of Medicine and discuss his approaches to 'exercise' with today's literature.Methods: The study is qualitative. Five volumes work consisting of 6 books in total called El-Kânûn Fit-Tıbb (The Canon of Medicine) which are Turkish translation by Professor Esin Kâhya, were used for content analysis. In the Turkish translation of the book, the sections containing the subject of 'exercise' were sent to content analysis. Avicenna's comments in the relevant sections were analyzed and interpreted in-depth.Results: It was observed that the themes of 'exercise' were handled in the first and fourth books of the five-volume book. According to the theme of 'exercise' in Avicenna's book called Canon of Medicine; six main topics that can be categorized under the main headings of 'prevention of health and exercise, physiological effects of exercise on heart rate, factors related to exercise timing, exercise-related problems, excess/insufficiency of exercise in the etiology of the disease, and exercise in the treatment' have been determined.Conclusion: Although many of the comments and suggestions on 'exercise' in the Canon of Medicine book were made without modern technological opportunities, their equivalents in the current literature containing evidence-based contemporary medical data can be considered as proof that Avicenna was a physician who transcended the ages.

The Compatibility of the Widespread Popularity and Essentiality of “Goodness and Badness” Propositions with an emphasis on the Views of Avicenna and Muẓaffar

Logicians, such as Avicenna (or Ibn Sīnā), give moral propositions (like “injustice is bad” and “justice is good”) as examples of “popular” (mashhūrāt) propositions and praised opinions in the section of dialectics. However, Islamic theologians (those adhering to justice or ‘adliyya) cite these propositions in their discussion of rational goodness and badness. This can be discussed in different respects: Are goodness and badness propositions primitively self-evident propositions or just popular propositions? Are they rational or legislated propositions? Do they admit of truth and falsity? Are they realistic or irrealistic? If they are popular propositions, then can their goodness or badness still be essential? In this paper, we are concerned with this latter question. To begin with, according to passages from Avicenna, these propositions are admittedly popular, but then the question arises of whether this is compatible with their goodness and badness being essential. This is because the essentiality of goodness and badness implies their reality, whereas a merely popular proposition does not have a reality beyond an agreement among rational agents. In the first case, popularity or general interests are at stake, whereas essentiality amounts to being detached from general interests or popularity within the society, in the sense that an act is immediately described as good or bad, but this is at odds with what logicians have suggested. The question of this research is to reveal a conflict between essentiality and rationality of such propositions on the one hand, and their popularity, on the other. We begin with an introduction of epistemological and ontological dimensions of the problem, and then consider the problem in terms of logic, referring to passages from Avicenna in this regard, and after an elucidation of the conflict, we finally formulate Muẓaffar’s solution to the conflict. The idea is that although the popularity of such propositions is incompatible with essentiality or rationality of good and badness as widely understood by theologians, a more refined understanding of essentiality and rationality will help resolve the conflict.

The Lifestyle of Breastfeeding Mother, Based on the Teaching of Avicenna (Ibn Sina)

Background: Breast-feeding is considered a global standard. Certainly special strategies have an important role in mother’s success in exclusive feeding of the neonate and preservation of the mother’s health. Healthy lifestyle in mothers can be one of the most effective measures to achieve this success. Unfortunately, due to the great attention to the growth and nutrition of the child in the first year of birth, mother's life style is neglected during lactation. Considering the widespread acceptance and interest in complementary medicine, it seems logical to search in Persian Medicine documents to find a guideline regarding the proposed issue. In Persian Traditional Medicine, a lot of attention has been paid to the lifestyle for all lifetimes, including lactation. In the present study, the views of Avicenna -renowned Iranian scientist- were discussed about the life style of mothers during lactation. Material and Methods: In this study, Al-Qanun fi al-tibb by Avicenna (11th) and for thorough discussion also reviewed the views of a later Iranian scientist, Kholase al-hekma by Mohammad Hossein Aghili Alavi Khorasani (18th) were studied to collect all of information about life style of mothers during lactation. Furthermore, a search in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Sid, Iran doc was done to get related data about this field from 1990-Jan-1 to 2018-Dec-30. Conclusion: Healthy lifestyle during lactation has six main axes. These six axes include air, nutrition, physical activity and massage, sleep and wakefulness, evacuation of harmful substances and maintaining essential ingredients, and psychic movement and repose. In order to the mother would be able to produce adequate milk for the infant and her health would be preserved. 

Digestion process and causes of indigestion based on Avicenna's view and modern medicine.

Digestion process and causes of indigestion based on Avicenna's view and modern medicine.

Digestion process and causes of indigestion based on Avicenna's view and modern medicine

Digestion process and causes of indigestion based on Avicenna's view and modern medicine

Mechanism of diabetogenesis by Avicenna and diabetogenic risk factors

In the article the views of Avicenna on the development of diabetes, based on the theory of mizadzh and the impact of certain foods on the pH level of body fluid are presented. The results of experimental studies confirming the occurrence of pH shift toward acidosis after 2-week using of 6 types acidic products defined as the diabetogenic risk factors are shown. (For citation: Sharofova MU, Nuraliev YuN, Sagdieva ShS, Sukhrobov PSh. Mechanism of diabetogenesis by Avicenna and diabetogenic risk factors. Reviews on Clinical Pharmacology and Drug Therapy. 2018;16(2):74-79. doi: 10.17816/RCF16274-79).

Peritoneum as an origin of epilepsy from the viewpoint of Avicenna.

There are studies that show that the concepts of epilepsy have been rooted in Persian medicine; Avicenna "Ibn-e-Sina"-one of the great Persian physicians in the Islamic golden age (9th-12th century AD)-has considered some types of epilepsy with the association of the stomach, the spleen, the "Maraqq," and the whole body which has not been reviewed properly. These organs influence on the brain and can cause epilepsy. This article presents concept of Maraqq-related epilepsy; according to Avicenna's view, "Maraqq" is a membranous structure which is located in the abdomen (equivalent of parietal peritoneum in current nomenclature). We discuss his viewpoint about the diagnosis and treatment of Maraqq-related epilepsy with focus on herbal remedies. The concept of a relationship between the "Maraqq" and the brain is well discussed in the old Persian medicine texts; however, it seems that further studies in this area are required to clarify Avicenna's view about the pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical manifestations, and treatment strategies.

A medieval description of metastatic breast cancer; from Avicenna's view point

Historically, one of the earliest breast cancer case descriptions comes from an Egyptian manuscript so called “the Edwin Smith Papyrus” dating back to the Pyramid Age. However, apart from all respective documents remained from the antiquity, concepts and standpoints of Avicenna (Ibn Sina; a famous Persian physician) in regard of the cancer are interesting. A case of breast cancer and metastatic condition has been reported by Avicenna in the Canon of Medicine. This report can be considered as a very early report of metastatic or stage IV breast cancer. He underlined that cancer should be diagnosed and cured in the early stages. With views of Avicenna, cancer is an atrabilious (black bile) swelling (tumor) which sometimes may be accompanied by pain or swelling. He also mentioned that some vessels may be appeared around the cancerous part. Avicenna extrapolated the cancer with legs of cancer crab which can to grow around the other organs and tissues.

Optimal fluid intake in daily diet: Avicenna's view

Adequate daily water consumption is an important factor of keeping regular homeostasis. However, the best quantity of daily water consumption for a healthy individual is not virtually stated in the literature. Despite the dearth of evidence-based recommendations, it is commonly thought that ingesting eight glasses of water a day is good for a healthy person. Avicenna had a unique viewpoint. He believed that daily water intake depended on numerous elements together with age, intercourse, body temperament, season, occupation and various internal and external elements. He also cited a few essential and useful measures regarding proper water consumption, which have additionally been emphasized in Islamic hadiths.

Food Reduction in Avicenna's View and Related Principles in Classical Medicine.

ContextTraditional Iranian medicine (TIM) is a rich and valuable school of thought that believes medications are not the only effective approach for the treatment of diseases but that nutrition is also important.Evidence AcquisitionOur study includes two parts; the first is a book review of the Canon of Medicine by Avicenna (10th and 11th centuries), in which we focus on finding and understanding Avicenna’s point of view. In the second part, we searched for “food reduction” as a key word from 2000 to 2015 in databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Copernicus, DOAJ, EBSCO-CINAHL, and the Iranian search database Iranmedex for principles of food reduction in classical medicine.ResultsThe main methods of treatment in traditional medicine include changes in lifestyle, especially diet, the use of medications, and the use of manipulation methods. For diet, the individual may be prohibited from eating or food amounts may be decreased or increased. Centuries ago, Avicenna was making use of methods of food reduction as an important therapeutic approach in the treatment of diseases. According to him, food reduction, to the extent that it does not cause energy loss helps to cure disease. Avicenna has proposed food reduction as an aid to treating a variety of ailments such as headaches and reflux.ConclusionsToday, a variety of basic and clinical research has shown that food reduction or calorie restriction to a standard level can effectively prevent and treat a variety of diseases such as neoplasms, diabetes, and kidney disease. Practical principles explained by traditional Iranian medicine, in particular Avicenna, could open important and quite uncomplicated strategies for the prevention and treatment of diseases.

Avicenna's View on the Etiologies of Intestinal Obstruction.

Context:Bowel obstruction is one of the most common causes of acute abdomen. Because of heterogeneity of patients’ population and variety of causes, therapeutic strategies are not standardized, so treatment of intestinal obstruction is a surgical challenge in many cases. A traditional medicine approach could help detect some issues that were ignored by modern medicine. One of the major schools of medicine, with a history of several thousand years, is Iranian traditional medicine. In this regard, Avicenna, who lived in the medieval period, has had a great influence on the medical knowledge of the world by writing an encyclopedia of medicine entitled “Qanun of Medicine.”Evidence Acquisition:The aim of this study was to investigate Avicenna’s views on the causes of intestinal obstruction and comparing them to modern medicine views. This is a review study on an Iranian traditional textbook of medicine by Avicenna, entitled “Qanun of Medicine” (in short “Qanun”). We used Qanun in its original language (Arabic) along with its Persian translation. It consists of 5 books. Part 16 of the third book talks about intestinal anatomy and introduces some intestinal diseases such as “qoolinj” and “ilavos.” Intestinal obstruction can be a kind of “qoolinj” or “ilavos” disease. All intestinal obstruction etiologies in Qanun are searched in international and Iranian databases (Scopus, ISI, SID, and Iranmedex) and similar causes in modern medicine will be discussed in this article.Results:According to Qanun, 16 causes are involved in intestinal etiologies of bowel obstruction such as “reeh,” mucoid phlegm, abdominal hot and dry distemperament, decreased bile secretion, job, and so on while modern medicine considers some of them, for instance, volvulus, intestinal herniation, worm, intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and opiate.Conclusions:Attention to the similar causes of intestinal obstruction in modern medicine and traditional medicine is the starting point for investigation of noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic methods that have been mentioned in Qanun. In addition, etiologies which are missed in modern medicine can open new doors to the researchers and gastroenterologists for the study, diagnosis, and prevention of the disease.

IN THE SHADOW OF “PROPHETIC LEGISLATION”: THE VENTURE OF PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY AFTER AVICENNA

AbstractThe article aims to demonstrate that Avicenna's (d. 428/1037) centrality in Islamic intellectual history is not restricted to the branches of theoretical philosophy; rather, he also has had a deep and strong influence on the conception of practical philosophy until modern times. I will discuss the impact of Avicenna's view of practical philosophy by analyzing his different classifications of practical philosophy throughout his career and the factors behind his disregard for practical philosophy in his philosophicalsummason the basis of his view of the relationship between philosophy andšarīʿa. To demonstrate my argument regarding Avicenna's influence on the conception of practical philosophy in Islamic tradition, I will refer to major works on the classification of sciences, and the commentaries (šurūḥ) and glosses (ḥāwāšī) on the two most important and widely circulated philosophicalsummasin the post-Avicennan philosophy, which are al-Abharī's (d. 663/1264)Hidāyat al-ḥikmaand al-Kātibī's (d. 675/1276)Ḥikmat al-ʿayn.

Novel Use of Chicory for the Treatment of Hiccups in Liver Obstruction: In Iranian Traditional Medicine

Dear Editor, A hiccup is the result of an involuntary, intermittent spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm and the inspiratory intercostal muscles. Based on Iranian Traditional Medicine, hiccups are stomach diseases and movements in the stomach with the combination of spasmodic contraction followed by a stretching distention (1). Although hiccups may be a temporary action which need no treatment, sometimes a refractory hiccup would be disturbing to a normal life. According to Avicenna, a hiccup may occur due to different causes, one of which occurs because of liver obstruction. We experienced the successful use of Chicory to cure two cases of hiccups caused by liver obstruction and inflammation in digestion Clinic of Shahid Beheshti Medical Faculty. The first case was a 78 year old male with two years of refractory and chronic hiccup, who was under a common drug treatment. Due to his refusal in using the drugs because of their side effects, his hiccups were continuous and loud enough to disturb his sleep, eating routines. It also was so severe that made him depressed. Other symptoms included pains and heaviness in RUQ. These two symptoms based on Avicenna are Pathgnomonic of liver obstruction. This was resolved by one dose of 10% syrup of Chicory, which was orally taken. It was used for three weeks before breakfast. In the middle of the second week, his problem was slighter so that it was completely gone by the end of third week. The subject was under control for six months. The problem appeared again at the end of the third month, so we started the same treatment. By the end of the sixth months, he never complained. The other patient was a 54 year old male with an intermittent hiccup, which occurred almost every day, worsening lately. He had been under medical treatment; however, his hiccups were not completely cured. The same treatment was prescribed to him in three weeks and after the 2nd week, the hiccup was resolved and there was seen no relapse within six months of control. In the Allopathic medicine hiccup etiology is not pretty clear. As far as it is known hiccups are caused by various factors such as neurologic or non-neurologic agents, cerebral tumors, prostate cancer, abdomen surgery, MI, hepatitis, gastritis, duodenitis, esophageal reflux, peptic ulcer, and esophagitis (2-4). To cure a hiccup, in the Allopathic medicine metoclopramide, chlorpromazine, baclofen, gabapentin, Phernic nerve neurolysis, and nerve blocks are used (2, 4). The best result was obtained by using Gabapentin in acute cases. In Traditional medicine, which goes back to Hippocrates, BC 460 hiccups are sometimes defined as a symptom of prognosis and it has been also mentioned that if hiccups are accompanied with red eyes, it indicates bad prognosis which can be indicative of encephalitis, gastritis, and neuritis attaching stomach and brain (1, 5). In Avicenna's view, hiccups are known as stomach diseases. He relates it to the cardia of stomach. Hiccups sometimes happen due to the interaction between stomach and diseases in other organs such as hepatitis and liver obstruction. In this study we investigated those hiccups caused by liver disease (5). Chicory belongs to the Composite family with the scientific name of Chicorium Intybus L. which is used as Diuretic, appetizer, and cholagogue (6-8). In ITM (Iranian Traditional Medicine), Chicory is known as Handba and is an Opener that is the literal translation for MOFATTEH. It is bile and blood intensity and Heddat (Acuity) reliever, and its root is deeply opener and MOLATTEF (to dilute dense humor with moderate heat) of humors (3). It is also useful for refining blood and swelling organs. Its usage dose is from 4 to 12 grams (9). Considering the weak effects of chemical drugs on treatment of refractory hiccups and their side effects, Chicory which was also proved useful in this study with no recorded side effect, (10) is recommended as an appropriate treatment for chronic hiccups caused by liver disease.

Avicenna's view on the prevention of thrombosis

Avicenna's view on the prevention of thrombosis

Letter to the Editor: Avicenna's view on the prevention of thrombosis

We have greatly enjoyed reading the recently published manu-script by AA. Gooshah et al.[1] who related their view on Avicenna's(Ibn Sina) theory of humors on the prevention of thrombosis. It isinteresting to know that in one of the most prominent figures inthe history of medicine Avicenna himself had comments in hisAl-Qanun on the causes of obstructive cardiovascular diseases[2,3]. But, unfortunately, the inconsistent terms and conceptsfound in this manuscript could result in the miscommunication ofthe readers. In their article, the authors only emphasize Sauda andSafra which have important roles in blood coagulation in the circu-latory system — to decrease blood circulation and cause thrombusformation. In Avicenna's medicine, Sauda clinically divides intotwo categories — normal black Sauda and abnormal Sauda, whereinthe abnormal Sauda usually plays an important role in blood coagu-lation in the circulatory system [4–6].Although there is no concept of thrombosis in the Qanunof Medicine as such and the concept of thrombosis in modernmedicine distinguishes from the concept of obstruction and semi-obstruction by abnormal Sauda which is discussed in thefirstbook of Avicenna's Qanun, some important links could be foundbetween the old and the modern medicines' understanding.In Avicenna's medicine, the human body is composed of fourhumors (blood or Dam,phlegmorBalgham, yellow bile or Safra andblack bile orSauda). These four humors – yellow bile, blood, phlegmand black bile– mutually compensate, balance, control and supporteach other. In normal condition, the Blood is the humor most essen-tial and conducive to vitality and good health. The Blood plays a rolein hilit transportation and metabolism and that all the hilits con-stantly cycle in the blood. The Safra primarily functions to transportthe Balgham and Sauda in the Blood to the smallest parts of thehuman body by increasing the viscosity of the blood, facilitateblood flow in the vessels, inhibit the solidification of the Balgham,Blood and Sauda, and prevent blood stasis. One of the most impor-tant functions of the yellow bile is the suppression of the effects ofthe black bile [5]. The Balgham protects the hilits damaged by theSafra with hot character. It also transports the Sauda through thebloodtothebody'stissuesandorgans,suppliesbodyfluids,moistensandsoftenstissues,andreplacesblood.Itisthelasthilit,savda,whichhelps to maintain the shape of the organ and body.The cornerstone of health is the right ratio and specificbalanceof humors based on their quality and quantity. The disequilibriumof the humors quantitatively or qualitatively causes diseases [6].Avicenna suggests that all four humors are the important factors invessel obstruction (and then thrombus formation) in a differentstage of disease. Again, we should state that according to Avicenna'smedicine, all humors are taking part in the formation of thrombosis.The special treatment by the regulation of these humors could pre-vent thrombosis. Our research studies found that cardiovasculardisease risk factors such as metabolic abnormalities like abdominalobesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood glucoseare the parts comprising the Balgham increase syndrome (abnormalBalgham) [7]. The increase of abnormal Balgham would decrease thequantity and quality of the Safra and thus enhance the Sauda's originalability to perform the formation, cohesion and thickening of the blood.The increase of blood viscosity and further atherosclerosis are under-stood as the deposition of abnormal Sauda in arterial walls which nar-rows the blood vessels, reduces circulation, and causes obstructionand semi-obstruction in the vessels [8,9].Itmustberememberedherethat conditions of deficient blood supply to the muscles and tissuesandjointsandtendonsareinfactaSaudacondition,becausewiththeab-senceofwarm,moistBlood,acold,drySaudaconditionwillbeproduced.And so, increasing the circulation and vital blood supply to an organ ortissue of the body is actually an anti-Sauda therapeutic approach.In our clinical studies of coronary heart disease cases and coagu-lation–anticoagulation and fibrinolytic system function disorders,theBalghamsyndromehasbeenpredominated.However,theseverestages of these diseases are clinically connected with abnormalSauda syndrome [5–7]. Based on Avicenna's view, the specific

Sleep and Wakefulness Correction in Different Seasons From Avicenna's Perspective

Sleep and Wakefulness Correction in Different Seasons From Avicenna's Perspective

Avicenna's view on the prevention of thrombosis

a The Research Institute for Islamic & Complementary Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran b The School of Iranian Traditional Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran c Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran d School of Traditional Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran e The School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran f The School of Iranian Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Avicenna's view of reperfusion in myocardial infarction

Faramarz Fallahi , Hasan Namdar , Elham Emaratkar ⁎, Esmaeil Nazem , Alireza Nikbakht Nasrabadi , Rasool Choopani , Mina Movahhed , Ashraf Al-din Gooshah Gir f a Cardiology Department, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran b The School of Iranian Traditional Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran c Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran d The School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran e The School of Iranian Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran f The Research Institute for Islamic & Complementary Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Avicenna's view on heart and emotions interaction

Since the last twodecades researchers have demonstrated an association between affective states and health outcomes, especially cardiovascular safety. Relation between negative and positive emotions and survival in coronary artery disease [1]; impact of anger and anger expression on cardiovascular health [2]; kinship of mood and anxiety disorders with congenital heart disease [3]; and depression as a common co-morbid condition in patients with coronary artery disease [4] are instances of this association.

POST-AVICENNAN LOGICIANS ON THE SUBJECT MATTER OF LOGIC: SOME THIRTEENTH- AND FOURTEENTH-CENTURY DISCUSSIONS

AbstractIn the thirteenth century, the influential logician Afḍal al-Dīn al-Khūnajī (d. 1248) departed from the Avicennan view that the subject matter of logic is “second intentions”. For al-Khūnajī, the subject matter of logic is “the objects of conception and assent”. His departure elicited intense and sometimes abstruse discussions in the course of subsequent centuries. Prominent supporters of Khūnajī's view on the subject matter of logic included Kātibī (d. 1277), Ibn Wāṣil (d. 1298) and Taftāzānī (d. 1390). Defenders of Avicenna's view included Ṭūsī (d. 1274), Samarqandī (d. 1303) and Quṭb al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 1365). This article presents the outline of the development of this discussion down to the end of the fourteenth century and attempts to reconstruct the major arguments of both sides.