Diagnostic Manifestations (Istedlal Wa Alamat) of Anaemia (Faqr Al-Dam) in Ancient Unani Literature - A Review

Abstract

Anaemia is a condition with a long historical background, with evidence of advanced disease identified in skeletal remains dating back approximately 4,000 years in Thailand. The significance of iron in maintaining health and treating disease has been recognized since ancient times, with Egyptian, Indian, Greek, and Roman physicians among the earliest practitioners to use iron therapeutically. During the 17th century, iron preparations were also employed in the treatment of chlorosis (“green disease”), a condition commonly associated with iron deficiency. Iron is an essential component of haemoglobin and plays a fundamental role in oxygen transport. Consequently, iron supplementation has remained one of the principal therapeutic approaches for anaemia associated with iron deficiency for many centuries.

Classical Unani medical literature contains detailed descriptions of the aetiological factors, classifications, pathophysiological mechanisms, and diagnostic manifestations associated with anaemia. These classical descriptions may provide useful insights into the recognition and early diagnosis of anaemia. For the present review, relevant information was collected from classical Unani medical texts, manuscripts, and other available literary sources. The review identified several clinical manifestations described in classical Unani literature that may contribute to the identification, diagnosis, and management of anaemia. A systematic examination of these traditional descriptions may therefore provide valuable information for the early recognition and management of anaemia within the Unani system of medicine, while also offering a basis for further comparative research with contemporary medical knowledge.

How to cite this article:
Okafor C, Yusuf A. Diagnostic Manifestations (Istedlal Wa Alamat) of Anaemia (Faqr Al-Dam) in Ancient Unani Literature - A Review. Int J Preven Curat Comm Med. 2026;12(3):13-19.