Major and minor criteria for gastric dystemperaments in Persian Medicine: Sari gastric dystemperament criteria-I (SGDC-I).

Background: Gastric disorders are one of the most common human ailments, which impose a huge economic burden on countries. In Persian Medicine (PM), it is possible to predict the susceptibility to gastric diseases with diagnosis of gastric Mizajes (temperaments) and dystemperaments. The semiology of gastric dystemperaments has been investigated in PM textbooks, although the value of each sign and symptom is not mentioned. Consequently, this research is designed to determine the major and minor criteria for classifying gastric dystemperaments on the basis of valid manuscripts and with the help of PM specialists in the present era. Methods: This was a consensus-based study consisting of four phases. In the first phase, reference PM textbooks were studied. Symptoms and signs of gastric dystemperaments were collected and listed in four groups. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews with a sample of PM experts were carried out. Phase three included a focused group discussion with experts. Eventually, findings were integrated from the three study phases in a two-day meeting in Sari City. Results: Selected criteria included eight major and eight minor criteria for hot-cold dystemperament, as well as six major and eight minor criteria for wet-dry gastric dystemperament. Conclusion: Modern lifestyles and the interfering factors are responsible for some changes in diagnostic signs and symptoms according to PM. This was the first step to coordinate PM diagnostic criteria for gastric dystemperaments. Further studies are recommended to reach a unique protocol in the field of PM diagnostics. The next step includes design and validation of national diagnostic tools.

Principle of Hot and Cold and Its Clinical Application in Persian Medicine.

Persian Medicine (PM) or Humoral Medicine is a traditional school of medicine with thousands of years of prolific history. The concept of Mizaj (temperament) and hot-cold theory is one of PM's most important foundations. In the clinical setting, Mizaj represents individual differences in phenotypical, psychological, spiritual, and physiological functions. Mizaj has a crucial role in determining the treatment plan, to the point that a similar disease in patients with different Mizaj types may demand different treatments. In this chapter, the role of hot and cold theory in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases to develop an integrative medical approach is discussed.

Water Intake from the Points of View of Rhazes and Avicenna.

Owing to the effect of acute and chronic hypohydration on health and the lethal effects of hyperhydration, an appropriate amount of water intake is important for each individual. Traditional Iranian medicine (TIM) is a holistic system one of whose important parts deals with lifestyles and how to maintain health, including the amount of water intake for every person and the appropriate principles of drinking water. In this study, Avicenna's Canon of Medicine, Rhazes' Benefits of Food and Its Harmfulness, and conventional medical articles were reviewed to evaluate the amount of water intake for each person and the principles of drinking water. TIM has expressed an individualized difference in the amount of water intake in the form of temperament and the relationship between the appropriate time of drinking water with other daily activities. In this view, drinking water at the inappropriate time causes liver and gastrointestinal diseases; it can create the foundation for conducting new studies in the field of appropriate water intake and lifestyle changes to reduce malnutrition complications.