Unani system of medicine has a holistic  approach  towards, health and treatment. Its concepts mayseem unscientific to uninitiated but they hold good on experiment and experience.

   Tabiat :- ( Nature) It is  that properly of living body which tries to keep the internal environment  and various  functions  of body in optimum condition .

   Asbab - e - sitta - zarooriyah -( Six essential factors )These are the factors  which  help  tabiyat  in  its  prime  function. These are     (1) Atmosphere,  (2) Diet,   (3) Movements  &  rest  of body,   (4) Sleep and waking period,  (5) Thinking pattern,   (6) Secretions & excretions.

   According to unani theory these  factors  are the cause of  health and the function of physician is to restore them in case of a disease.

   Amoor-e-Tabiyah - these are  the basics of unani theory. These are - (1) Anasir (Elements),  (2) Mizaj (Body type), (3) Akhlat  (Humours), (4) Aaza (Organs) , (5) Rooh (Oxygen and oxides), (6) Qawa (Faculties),   (7) Afal (Physiological functions).

  (1) Anasir - (Elements) :- Also  called  Arkan, These  are divided into four  major  groups,  Formerly  thought  as  Elements - these  are    Earth (Elements which are solids at room temperature, Water (elements which are liquids  at  room  temperature ), Air (elements  which are gaseous at room temperature )  and  Fire  ( elements which are either flammable or help in combustion)

  (2) Mizaj - ( Body type ) :-According  to  unani theory, when  elements react or interact among themselves, a  new physiological state of body is produced,  It is  called Mizaj. This is  the individual homeostasis which separates humans from animals and differs form person  to  person. It  is different in various age groups and even differs from country to country. There  are  four  types of  Mizajs.  Hot, Cold, Wet and Dry. Earth is cold and dry. Water is cold and wet. Air is Hot and Wet. Fire is Hot and dry. Please  note  that  above  terms  do  not actually represent the physical meaning they carry but these are only symbolic to the physiological state that is produced in the body by them.

  Element show  their  characteristics  as per their atomic structure and when  they  interact , they  produce  Mizaj - A particular and individual physiological state of body or body type. Instead  of  above  terms  Hot, Cold, Wet & Dry - body type I , II , III & IV may be used .

    Hot or Body type - I :- These person  feel  hot, their  skin on touch feels hot, these are thinly built  but have big chests & limbs . They are very active but tire early. They feel  thirsty more often then others. Their superficial  veins are  visible on the skin.  Pulse, heart rate and respiratory  rates  are  fast. They  like  cold  things  in food and cold environment. They are uncomfortable in hot season.

    Cold or Body type - II  - These persons are thickly built and cold on touch. They suffer in cold seasons and like hot things and hot season. pulse, heart rate & Respiratory  rates are on slower side .

    Wet or Body type - III - They are soft on touch. They have more  body fat. dry season suits them more. They sleep more .

    Dry or Body type - IV - Skin of these persons is dry and  rough. They are thinly built. They like fluids and rainy season.

    (3) Akhlat - (Humours) :- Hippocrates presented this theory to explain the causes  of  health  as  well as  disease.  All body fluids are called humours and he  divided them into four groups :-

     1. Dam  (blood) 2.Balgam ( phlegm ) 3. Safra ( yellow Bile ) 4. Sauda (Black Bile).

   These  terms  are the symbolic names  given to a group of body  fluids and do not represent the  actual meaning of the word.

   Abu Sahal masihi gave a more scientific  classification of humours. He has described three type of humours.

Ratoobat-e-us to qusya (cytoplasm)

Ratoobat-e-tajaweef (Tissue fluid)

Ratoobat-e-urooq  (Blood and lymph)

But  the  most commonly followed classification is  that of  Hippocrates  which is  symbolically based on colors of  humours - red humour is blood, white is phlegm, yellow is yellow bile and black is black bile .

   Dam (Blood) - physiologically found blood is a mixture of all Akhlat. Dam is a group of  humours who are red in color and Hot and Wet in Mizaj. Blood plasma and Blood Corpuscles constitute this humour.

   Balgam (Phlegm) - All white fluids are added in this group. Cytoplasm. Tissue  fluid, Lymph, Cerebrospinal  fluid, synovial fluid of joints, all gastric  juices  except  bile, peritoneal  fluid, Pleural  fluid, Seminal fluid, Pericardial fluid and secretions of various glands constitute this humour. Blood  plasma   proteins  and bloodsugar are also included in this humour.

   Safra (Yellow Bile) - Hepatic and gallbladder bile, Adrenalin, Noradrenalin and Acetyl choline etc. are   included in this humour  which is Hot & dry in Mizaj. 

  Sauda (Black Bile) - Actually  it  is not bile. Body Pigments which are Black or blue in color are included  in this humour . It is cold and  dry in Mizaj. 

  (4) Aza - (Organs) - These are divided into two type - simple (tissues) & Compound (all organs & glands) .

  (5) Rooh - (Air) - It  is  oxygen  taken  in  by inspiration which then circulates in body as oxy hemoglobin.  sometime it is divided  into three types  according to  faculties namely - Rooh Tabiya ( Physical air) which is air in circulation. Rooh-e-haivaniyah ( vital air ) which is oxygen in tissues and Rooh Nafsaniyah ( Nervous air ) which  is  oxygen  in Nervous system.

  (6) Qawa - (Faculties) - Human body  is considered to be  having  three faculties - Quwat-E-Tabiya (Physical faculty) which controls all physiological functions except circulation and Respiration.

   Quwat-e-haivaniyah - (Vital faculty) which controls Respiration, circulation and metabolism. and Quwat-e-Nafsaniyah (mental faculty) which controls the function of Nervous system.

  (7) Afal - (functions) - Like  faculties, all physiological functions of body are divided into three groups - Physical, vital and mental.

    Methods of Treatment :- The  function of unani physician is to assist Tabiat (nature) which is the  sustaining life force. It is done by  three means.

   - By affecting necessary changes in six essential factors.

   - By changing The Mizaj or Quantity and Quality of Humours by means of drugs.

   - By means of surgery.