Document Type : Review Article
Authors
- Mina Mohebbi 1
- Fatemeh Sadat Hasheminasab 2
- Mohammad Setayesh 3
- Khadijeh Hatami 4
- Ayeh Naghizadeh 1
- Ebrahim Khadem 5
1 Department of Persian Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2 Pharmacology research center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
3 Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
4 Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5 Persian Medicine Network (PMN), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Several pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed for this disorder, but no effective treatment exists for all patients, making it chronic and annoying. The present article aims to review the proposed perspective of Persian Medicine (PM) scholars on this disorder including the predisposing factors and lifestyle of these patients, and compared with recent finding.
Methods
In this review we searched the main Persian medical text books from 10th to 18th centuries AD regarding the pathophysiology, predisposing factors and the six essential principles of health of the diseases most compatible with IBS. Moreover, we searched Google Scholar, Science Direct and PubMed databases for recent evidence on each items.
Results
According to PM, this syndrome is a heterogeneous disorder resulting from various dystemperaments of the gastrointestinal tract. Dystemperaments are due to accumulation of waste material or excess humors in body organs or exposure to unsuitable weather or diet. Diet, mental status, exercise, body excretions, sleep, and weather are the six essential principles for maintaining health, and imbalance in any of them can be the cause of many diseases, including IBS. Several of these lifestyle recommendations regarding six essential principles of health are supported with recent researches.
Conclusion
PM strategies for preservation and restoration of health with modification of lifestyle in IBS patients may provide new clues for researchers.
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