‘Unani is becoming popular, as it is based on evidence-based innovation’: Prof Saiyad Shah Alam

Interview/ Prof Saiyad Shah Alam, director, National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru

Q/ How did the unani system of medicine originate?

The history of the unani system of medicine can be traced back to Greece. It is around 5,000 years old. The first interaction of unani medicine with the prevailing medicine in India is noted with Alexander’s invasion in 326 BCE. From Greece, it travelled to Eurasia, including Turkey, Iran and Arabia. In India, it was formally introduced from 12th century. Our system of medicine was given the name ‘unani tibb (medicine)’ by Indian scholar Shah Waliullah Dehlvi in the 18th century. After the British established their rule in India, they introduced allopathic medicine. However, one needs to understand that each pathy has a unique beauty and certain limitations as well. In the unani system, we focus a lot on health-promotive procedures and treat the patient and his/her disease as one bio-socio-spiritual unit. The treatment depends a lot on the temperament of the body, medicine and severity of the disease assessed by the parameters that enumerate derangement in four humours—dam (blood), balgham (phlegm), safra (bile), and souda (black bile). Health promotion is achieved by modulating the six pre-requisite essentials (asbab sitta zaruria) of ambient air, food and drinks, movement and repose of body, movement and repose of mind, sleep and wakefulness and evacuation and retention of necessary constituents of the body.

Q/ What types of diseases are usually treated by unani?

Unani medical literature mentions the treatment of most prevailing diseases. Presently, we focus on noncommunicable diseases and diseases that have epidemic dimensions. Its strategy for treatment has an allowance to treat emerging diseases, as it views the disease as a pattern reflecting deranged humour or mizaj. Unani has treatment for different types of ailments such as liver diseases, skin diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, neurological disorders. We are also screening cancer ailments and providing possible palliative treatment. Unani is very cost-effective, and the drugs are easily available. For instance, the treatment for diabetic foot is very expensive and different in the allopathic system of medicine. Compared to this, in Unani, there are many formulations and treatment modes that manage it locally.

Q/ Do unani medicines have any advantage over allopathic systems? Are there any side effects?

A majority of the drugs in unani are derived from plant and herbal sources. Isolated phytochemicals are not used, unlike in English medicines. No drug in any medicine system can be claimed to be absolutely safe. However, in unani, drugs of first and second degree are considered safe.

Similarly, food may have a different effect on different people. One may be allergic to one type of food. So, a few medicines may not suit some people at times. Eighty per cent of drugs are plant-based, and most of our medicines are easily available.

Q/ Any precautions one needs to take while taking unani drugs?

In our system of medicine, things such as proper dosage, timing and with what to take it—whether it is with normal water, warm water, hot milk, cold milk—or drugs before or after food are very important aspects. If such aspects are not taken into consideration, the drugs may not show their full effect and may not help the patient fully.

Q/ What kind of surgery options are available in unani?

Most surgery options are limited to general surgery, and they focus mainly on skin tumours, piles, fistula and gallbladder issues. We do not have advanced, invasive kinds of surgeries that need high-end technology, such as heart surgeries, brain surgeries or cancer surgeries.

Q/ How has the popularity of unani grown over the years?

This system has grown and expanded in India, particularly in north India. It has grown in popularity in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bangladesh, South Africa, the UAE, Iran, Uzbekistan and Turkey. We have students from different countries who are pursuing postgraduation at our institute. In the last 20 years, we have published more than 1,000 publications in the form of original indexed papers and books.

Q/ Despite being in India for so long, unani is yet to gain mass adoption compared to the allopathic system.

Unani is becoming increasingly popular, as it is based on evidence-based innovation, which requires more time. Validation of the body temperament is required to diagnose any ailment. Skin treatments in unani have gained significant popularity. In addition, treatment for prostate enlargement, asthma and other respiratory diseases and gastrointestinal tract problems, neurological and psychiatric disorders are gaining popularity in the unani system.

Unani medicine has unique procedures… for health promotion and wellness. Among more than 20 procedures, hijama (cupping), irsal alq (leeching) and dalak (massage) are globally practised now.

Q/ What kind of initiatives has the Ayush ministry taken to popularise unani?

Initiatives by the ministry of Ayush to promote and popularise unani include the establishment of key institutions such as: Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), which is the apex research body for Unani medicine, and the National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute for postgraduate teaching, training and research in unani medicine. A satellite campus of NIUM has been set up in Ghaziabad, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to expand access to clinical services and training.

Both CCRUM and NIUM conduct clinical research on various health conditions (arthritis, asthma, metabolic disorders, skin diseases, lifestyle diseases, mental health issues) to build evidence for unani therapies.

New central initiatives to expand unani institutes and infrastructure include supporting Centre of Excellence projects, which help build advanced research infrastructure and training facilities for unani practitioners. The Ayush ministry has also collaborated with the World Health Organization for the global reach of traditional systems, including unani. NIUM has signed MoUs with national research entities and universities (such as the Indian Council of Medical Research) as implementation of the central initiative to expand scientific research collaboration and innovation in unani medicine.