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Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter September 17, 2019

A review on the management of asthma in the Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine

  • Fatemeh Amini , Amir Mohammad Jaladat EMAIL logo , Fatemeh Atarzadeh , Seyed Hamdollah Mosavat , Mohammad Mahdi Parvizi EMAIL logo and Nasrindokht Zamani

Abstract

Introduction

In this study, we attempted to identify medicinal plants for treating asthma by investigating Persian Medicine (PM) sources.

Methods

In the present review study, materials concerning asthma were assessed by the (most) reliable source of PM (Canon of Medicine) written by Avicenna. Recommended medicinal plants for treating asthma were extracted from this book. Likewise, the electronic databases were used for investigating the pharmacological properties of offered herbs.

Results

The signs and symptoms of “Rabv” discussed by Avicenna are very similar to the asthma in modern medicine. Avicenna dichotomized asthma causing into pulmonary and non-pulmonary ones, including asthma with the heart, liver, or stomach origin. Overall, 14 medicinal plants were mentioned for the treatment of asthma presented in Canon of Medicine, including celery, juniper, dodder, chamomile, fennel, quince seed, black caraway, lavender, hyssop, squill, anise, absinthe, asafoetida, and common polypody.

Conclusions

PM prescribes medicinal plants for treating asthma, based on each patient’s symptoms and trigger factors.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all helping us for preparing this manuscript.

  1. Author contributions: Study concept and design: Fatemeh Amini, Amir Mohammad Jaladat, Fatemeh Attarzadeh, Seyed Hamdollah Mosavat, Mohammad Mahdi Parvizi; acquisition of data: Fatemeh Amini, Amir Mohammad Jaladat, Fatemeh Attarzadeh, Seyed Hamdollah Mosavat, Nasrindokht Zamani; drafting of the manuscript, Fatemeh Amini, Amir Mohammad Jaladat, Mohammad Mahdi Parvizi, Nasrindokht Zamani; critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content, Amir Mohammad Jaladat, Seyed Hamdollah Mosavat; study supervision, Amir Mohammad Jaladat.

  2. Research funding: None declared.

  3. Employment or leadership: None declared.

  4. Honorarium: None declared.

  5. Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

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Received: 2018-08-16
Accepted: 2018-12-29
Published Online: 2019-09-17

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