Unani approach to cancer (Sartan) and its management

Abstract

Sartan (‫)سرطان‬ is an Arabic word which means crab and literally used for cancer. The term cancer represents a group of diseases, about 200 tumours recognises abnormal cellular proliferation (neoplasm). Hippocrates used the terms carcinos and carcinoma to describe non-ulcer forming and ulcer-forming tumours. Since antiquity Sartan has been considered to be a dreadful disease and a big enemy of human beings. According Unani Philosophy Sartan occurs due to abnormal sauda (especially Sauda mirrah), and it can occur in any part of the body. This article attempts to explore the metaphors of cancer from the Unani texts with reference to the scholars of Unani system of medicines like Hippocrartes, Galen, Razi, Majoosi, Ibn Sina and Ismail Jurjani etc.