Amoebic dysentery from the perspective of Unani literature: A review

Abstract

Amoebic dysentery is the most common protozoan infection leading to morbidity and mortality caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica. It affects all age groups. It is more common in tropical countries and occasionally seen in nontropical countries. Infection largely depends on hygienic conditions and ways of living. In Unani enriched texts, the description of Amoebic dysentery is described under Zaheer-e-Sadique. Eminent Unani physicians enlisted many causative factors for Zaheer-e-Sadique, one among them is contaminated foods and drinks. According to Unani text books, there are two types of Zaheer. Zaheer-e-Sadique and Zaheer-e-Kazib. Zaheer-e-Sadique is similar to Amoebic dysentery because the symptoms and pathology are almost the same in modern and Unani concept. Zaheer-e-Kazib is caused by intestinal obstruction and develops conditions similar to Zaheer-e-Sadique but with less pain and irritation. Great Unani Physicians Hippocrates, Ibn-e-Sina, Zakariya Razi, Hakeem Ajmal khan, and others gave ample of description about this disease. Hippocrates described this disease as bloody diarrhoea. Eminent Unani physician Ibn-e-Sina stated in his treatise Al Qanoon fil-Tib that Zaheer is abnormal movement of rectum, in which patient tries to defecate the faecal matter but only scanty mucous comes out associated with severe pain. In this article, I have reviewed many enriched Unani texts and published articles and tried to correlate the current and available Unani concept.