In Unani medicine, Waram al-Aalate Bawl
literally means urinary tract infection. It includes Waram al-Kulliya, Waram al-Mathana
and Waram al-Ahleel
. Cystitis is the most common bacterial infection in young and elderly women. Recurrent UTIs (cystitis) can have a negative effect on the quality of life. Conventional management for cystitis includes antimicrobial/antibiotics. Antibiotics are the main stay treatment for acute and recurrent cystitis. Severe side effects have been reported and disturbances may require treatment to be withdrawn. Further, antibiotic resistance and previous episodes of cystitis have been positively associated with increase duration of severe symptoms of UTIs. Therefore, the need for alternative therapies for cystitis is evident. Thus, literary appraisal of classical sources was reviewed for Waram al-Aalate Bawl
and to correlate with contemporary knowledge.
Material and Methods: The classical Unani sources viz., Al-Qanun fi’l Tibb (Canon of Medicine), Iksir-i-A‘zam, Al Hawi fi’l Tibb (Continens Liber), Tarjuma Kamil al-Sana‘a al-Tibbiyya, Dhakhira Khawarizm Shahi, and Tibb-i-Akbar were reviewed. Further, different search engines were also browsed on website to explore the recent studies in contemporary era
Results: The causes as per classical texts are Waram al-Haar and Waram al-Barid. Waram al-Haar includes Waram al-Safrawi and Damavi, Waram al-Barid includes Waram al-Balghami and Saudawi (Sulb). Recent studies also prove that short urethra,
Conclusion: Unani classical texts are very much enriched with the informative knowledge related to UTI and recent studies in contemporary proves the same. Therefore, execution of traditional system of medicines in today’s era may play a very important task to restore health in a holistic way.