Hyderabad : Unani is an Indian system of medicine though it has originated from Greece came to India through Arab traders. Indians have adapted it as their own. Now it has crossed our national borders. Recently opened a 
Chair (an office) in South Africa and is soon to expand countries such as Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Though the system never originated in India it not only survived here including during British period thanks to the efforts of the Nizam of Hyderabad amongst others. It is now the next wave medicine.
The reasons for this expansion is to propagate and develop Unani System of Medicine in other countries as well so that they reap good benefits from this system. The expansion to overseas countries depends on the adaptability of that country and diplomatic relationships with that country.
Vitiligo, a type of Luekoderma, a skin disease has been cause of great concern. But, there is good news for those suffering from vitiligo. Our Initial findings of a research project undertaken are encouraging. We are almost close to find out a discovery of medicine that will help control and spread of the disease, informed Dr. MA. Waheed, Director of Hyderabad based Central Research Institute for Unani Medicine (CRIUM). Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine under the ministry of health and family welfare as assigned this project to us. The patients under study are given a combination of herbal medicines to study its efficacy in controlling the spread of the white patches on the body, Dr. Waheed informed.
After research and trials, Unani’s usefulness in dealing with cerebral palsy is being heavily discussed now. It is also said to be effective in increasing immunity levels in AIDS patients. It is also said to be showing remarkable results in case Anti-ageing, Immunomodulatory, Hepato-protective, Chronic inflammatory diseases, Autoimmune disorders Gastrointestinal disorders, Hepato-billiary diseases, Sexual disorders., Articular and bone diseases, Psychosomatic disorders, Neurological disorders, Skin and blood related diseases, Cardio vascular diseases and Life style and communicable diseases. Now the system has crossed national boundaries and is popular among the masses globally shared delegates participating in a Three Day International Conference and Exhibition on Traditional & Alternative Medicine being organised in Hyderabad by OMICS Group which is an Open Access Publishing company of Scientific Journals. It publishes 400 Open Access Journals with a mission to influence, encourage and assist scientists that enables the dissemination of research articles to the global community.
200 hundred delegates from across 12 countries are taking part in first of its kind of a meet on Traditonal & Alternative Medicine.
Dr. M.A. Waheed, Director of Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine, a Constitutent Unit of Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, Dept of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, says that recent research has proved that Unani medicines is highly effective in treating diseases like malaria, hepatitis B, leukoderma and many skin problems.
Unani forms an integral part of the National Healthcare Delivery system and is recognised by the WHO, says Dr. M.A. Waheed. But, its stigma – Muslim System of Medicine continues. Majority practitioners being Muslims, it further strengthens that perception. There is no Muslim association to Unani. We have practitioners from even other communities. Dr. Waheed dismissed it as a myth, which most people think of Unani as solely a Muslim system of medicine. He attributes this partly due to its scriptures written in Arabic, Persian or Urdu with inadequate translations into English and Hindi. Thus it makes mandatory for Unani physicians in most Unani medical colleges to know Urdu. But, these are things of past now. It is a well-developed ancient medical science and has nothing to do with Islam or Mulsim culture or whatsoever, he said. And added that Unani Medicine is more popular among other communities than Muslim.
Now things have changed. Nearly 1.5 lakh Vitiligo patients treated by Unani large chunk of them are non muslims, he said. Unani is a Secular Medicine, he stated.
He pointed out that students from different communities are also studying Unani Medicine. Unani Medical Colleges, particularly in south Indian states are witnessing students enrolling from different communities. Even patients seeking Unani treatment are also from wide spectrum of communities. He also dismissed the popular notion that Unani is poor patients medicine. It is not just the poor, but even the affluent look at Unani for its effectiveness in some diseases like Arthritis and others. And for you information, Unani medicines are not that all cheap as it is widely believed. Many well-to-do-families seek Unani treatment Gastroentestinal disorders and others.
Hyderabad has full fledged Research facility as well as an hospital attached to Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine. We also extend treatment, Dr. Waheed informed.
Today, India is the world leader as far as the practice of Unani medicine is concerned. It has the largest number of Unani educational, research and health care institutions informed Dr. Waheed. India has about little over 50,000 institutionally qualified practitioners, about 40 under graduate and 10 post graduate colleges teaching medicine in India. There are over 250 Unani hospitals (With bed strength of 4562 beds), 1,200 Unani Dispensaries and 52,000 practicing Hakims spread across 18 states in India with more than 400 Unani pharmacies. It is inexpensive, therapeutically effective, largely free from side effects and easily available.
Our parent body The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) which was established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India works under Department of AYUSH informed the delegates while talking on the sidelines of Global Meet Pharmcognosy 2013. CCRUM was initiated, to aid, develop and to co-ordinate scientific research in Unani System of Medicine. The Council is engaged in the multifaceted research activities in the field of Unani medicine. The Council’s research programme comprises clinical research, drug standardisation, survey and cultivation of medicinal plants and literary research. These research activities are being carried out through a network of 22 Institutes/Units functioning in different parts of the country. These include two Central Research Institutes of Unani Medicine – one each at Hyderabad and Lucknow, eight Regional Research Institutes of Unani Medicine – one each at Chennai, Bhadrak, Patna, Aligarh, Mumbai, Srinagar, Kolkata and New Delhi said Prof. Shakir Jameel.
The foundation of Unani system was laid by Hippocrates. The system owes its present form to the Arabs who not only saved much of the Greek literature by rendering it into Arabic but also enriched the medicine of their day with their own contributions. In this process they made extensive use of the science of Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Therapeutics and Surgery.
In India, Unani System of Medicine was introduced by Arabs and soon it took firm roots. The Delhi Sultans (rulers) provided patronage to the scholars of Unani System and even enrolled some as state employees and court physicians. During 13th and 17th century A.D. Unani Medicine had its hey-day in India. The system suffered a severe setback during the British rule in India. The allopathic system was introduced and gained ground. This retarded the growth of education, research and practice of Unani system of medicine. All the traditional systems of medicine along with Unani System faced almost complete neglect for about two centuries. The withdrawal of State Patronage could not harm much as the masses reposed faith in this system and it continued to be practiced. It was mainly Sharifi family in Delhi, the Azizi family in Lucknow and the Nizam of Hyderabad due to whose efforts Unani Medicine survived during the British period.
It enjoyed the patronage of the Khiljis, Tuglaqs and Mughal Emperors.
The Unani system of the Medicine, saw the beginning of its revival during the freedom struggle. Hakim Ajmal Khan, was a renowned physician and also one of the foremost freedom fighters in the country. He established an Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College and Hindustani Dawakhana a pharmaceutical company for manufacturing of Ayurvedic and Unani medicine in Delhi in 1916. Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated the college on February 13, 1921. Some of the Princely States also fully patronized this system.
After independence the Unani System along with other Indian systems of medicine received a fresh boost under the patronage of the National Government and its people. Government of India took several steps for the all round development of this system. It passed laws to regulate and promote its education and training. It established research institutions, testing laboratories and standardized regulations for the production of drugs and for its practice. Today the Unani system of medicine with its recognized practitioners, hospitals and educational and research institutions, forms an integral part of the national health care delivery system they observed.
Dr. Waheed adds that Unani healing is vibrant and vigorous today and is being practised, taught and researched under its local names in over 20 countries including Afghanistan, China, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and USA.