Understanding COVID-19 in the light of epidemic disease described in Unani medicine

Abstract

Unani system of medicine is based on the humoral theory postulated by Hippocrates, according to him the state of body health and disease are regulated by qualitative and quantitative equilibrium of four humours. Amraz-e-Waba is an umbrella term which is used in Unani medicine for all types of epidemics (smallpox, measles, plague, Hameer Saifi, influenza, Nipaha, Ebola, Zika, and 2019 novel coronavirus, etc.) mostly fatal in nature. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory infection, and the pathogenesis and clinical features resemble with those of Nazla-e-Wabaiya (influenza) and Zatul Riya (pneumonia) which were well described many years ago in Unani text such as high-grade fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, running nose, dry cough, respiratory distress, alternate and small pulse, asthenia, foul smell from breath, insomnia, frothy stool, syncope, coldness in both upper and lower extremities, etc. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a global emergency pandemic. Unani scholars like Hippocrates (370–460 BC), Galen (130–200 AD), Rhazes (865–925 AD), and Avicenna (980–1037 AD) had described four etiological factors for Amraz-e-Waba viz., change in quality of air, water, Earth, and celestial bodies, accordingly mentioned various preventive measures to be adopted during epidemics such as restriction of movement, isolation or “quarantena”, and fumigation with loban (Styrax benzoin W. G. Craib ex Hartwich.), sandalwood (Santalum album L.), Zafran (Crocus sativus L.), myrtle (Myrtus communis L.), and roses (Rosa damascena Mill.) and use of vinegar (sirka) and antidotes (Tiryaq) as prophylaxis, and avoiding consumption of milk, oil, sweet, meat, and alcohol. This review focuses and elaborates on the concept, prevention, and probable management of COVID-19 in the light of Amraz-e-Waba.

Saffron for “toning down” COVID-19-related cytokine storm: Hype or hope? A mini-review of current evidence

“…Traditional applications of saffron range from treating skin or metabolic conditions (such as erysipelas and diabetes in traditional Iranian medicine or acne in traditional Greek medicine to sexual dysfunction, as saffron is believed to possess aphrodisiac properties [ [14] , [15] , [16] ]. Saffron historically makes up part of both the Unani Medicine, which used saffron as an antidote during periods of Amraz-e-Waba (a term applied to denote rather fatal epidemics) [ 17 ], and Persian Medicine. Of note, textual searches for compounds with potential actions against respiratory diseases have increased in light of the COVID-19 [ 18 ].…”

Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on quality of education

“…The main symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, fatigue, slight dyspnoea, sore throat, headache, conjunctivitis, and gastrointestinal issues [18] . Severe disease and death are more likely to occur in the elderly, and probably in those with preexisting chronic conditions such as diabetes, malignancies of cardiovascular disease, and hypothyroidism [19,20,21] .…”

Saffron: A potential drug-supplement for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (COVID) management

“…Medical practitioners like Hippocrates and Pliny have used it, and famous women like Cleopatra made its use in cosmetics (Husaini, 2010). Many in vitro and in vivo studies have confirmed the saffron as an antiviral, antioxidant, bronchodilator, anti-inflammatory, and strong immune booster acting on humoral as well as cellular immunity (Bhat et al, 2020;Kadri, 2014;Alam et al, 2020;Alshehri et al, 2017;Chiavaroli et al, 2017;Shahbazi and Bolhassani, 2016).…”