Unani medicine is a traditional healing and health maintenance system in South Asia. The origins of Unani medicine are found in the doctrines of the ancient Greek physicians. As a field, it was later developed and refined through systematic experiments by the Arabs.

Having gained recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1976, the Unani system became increasingly accepted internationally as a system of traditional medicine. In India, several institutions engaged in Unani teaching and research. The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), an undertaking of the Government of India, facilitated the translation of classical heritage, the organization of clinical trials, the improvement of drug standardization, and the investigation of toxicological and phytopharmacological properties of natural products that had long been used by Unani doctors. The Unani System of Medicine has a long and impressive record in India.

It was introduced in India by the Arabs and Persians around the eleventh century. Today, India is one of the leading countries in the practice of Unani medicine. It has the largest number of Unani educational, research, and healthcare institutions. Nowadays the Unani system of medicine with its recognized practitioners, hospitals, and educational and research institutions, forms an integral part of the national healthcare delivery system.

 

The Unani System of Medicine provides treatment for various diseases related to all the systems and organs of the human body. Especially, the treatments for chronic diseases of the skin, liver, musculoskeletal and reproductive systems, and immunological and lifestyle disorders have been found very effective and acceptable. Regimental therapy is one of the important parts of Unani medicine. Unani physicians give prime importance to diet and the state of digestion in a person, in both health and disease. Specific dietary regimens and modifications are recommended by the physicians while treating patients according to their temperament. The Unani system of medicine gives much importance to preventive aspects rather than the curative aspects of various diseases and thus provides great support to the healthcare system.