Q  .   What is unani system of medicine?

Ans.  Unani  system  is  the  mother  of modern system of medicine which was born in Greece and later taken up by Arabs and much  later by India where it is still in practice.

Q   .  Is it a herbal system of medicine?

Ans.  Not  entirely true. Though more then 75% of its medicines are of  plant origin , it also uses medicines of animal origin and minerals. Some chemical compounds , mostly oxides of different metals are also used.

Q   .  Is it conventional medical system?

Ans.  Again not entirely true. Though in unani system a different set of classification and terms are used, it can be explained according to modern scientific knowledge.

Q   .  Is it alternative system of medicine?

Ans.  Not at all. No system is alternative to any other. At  best all systems are complimentary to each other.

Q   .  What is the approach of unani system?

Ans.   Unani  system  has  a  holistic  approach.  Here  patient is treated as a whole and as a living being and not as a mere diseased liver or kidneys. For this, the  Mizaj  of a person is very important. Unani physician first tries to ascetain the Mizaj of a patient  and  what  changes  have taken place in it, then the drugs are prescribed which have opposite Mizaj. ie - for a hot person,  cold  medicines  are prescribed. Remember  these  are  symbolic  terms  and  not the actual hot and cold as in common language.

Q   .  How do unani physicians make a diagnosis?

Ans.  unani physician consider a set of parameters to first ascertain  the mizaj of a person and then decide what have  been the abnormalities, of mizaj and humours.

Q   .  How do unani medicines prescribed and used?

Ans.  Unani works on  "anti "  principal. For hot persons and hot disease cold medicines are prescribed and vice versa. As two person  may  have two different  mizajs, different medicines will work for the two. Unani medicines may be in powder, tablet, syrup or semi solid forms. Mostly these are palatable and free of any  adverse affects.

Q   .  In which area unani medicine is best recommended?

Ans.  In sexual medicine, unani system scores over other systems that is why it was popular with Nawabs of yesteryears. Beside many chronic disease may be fully cured by unani system of medicine.