Phlebotomy and Health Promotions: A Comparative Mini-Review from the Viewpoint of Traditional Persian Medicine to Western Medicine

Abstract

Bloodletting has been one of the most challenging methods in Western Medicine; however, recent studies showed significant effects of this method. According to the emphasis of Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) on the safety and efficacy of bloodletting, this study aimed to investigate the differences and similarities of phlebotomy between the viewpoint of TPM and Western medicine. The literature review showed that the therapeutic indications of phlebotomy are somehow similar in both views. On the other hand, the phlebotomy performance method, cautions, contraindications, and rules of vein selection are some of the TPM’s particular ideas. Although some phlebotomy indications from Avicenna's perspective are similar to Western Medicine (such as chronic urticaria, fatty liver, hypertension, etc.), his holistic view of using bloodletting in a specific treatment package, besides lifestyle modification and herbal medication, can be evaluated in future studies.