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Avicenna’s clinical toxicology approach and beneficial materia medica against oral poisoning

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Abstract

Considering the rich background of Persian Medicine in the use of materia medica for the treatment of diseases, the huge burden of oral poisonings in the world, and the urgent need to find scientific solutions, the purpose of this study was to determine Avicenna’s approach toward clinical toxicology and his proposed treatments for oral poisonings. In Al-Qanun Fi Al-Tibb, Avicenna addressed the materia medica for the treatments of oral poisonings after explaining the ingestion of different toxins and also elucidating the clinical toxicology approach toward poisoned patients. These materia medica were from different classes including emetics, purgatives, enemas, diaphoretics, antidiarrheals, inhaled drugs, sternutators, anticoagulants, antiepileptics, antitussives, diuretics, cooling drugs, stimulants, cardiotonic drugs, and heating oils. By applying different therapies, Avicenna endeavored to attain main goals in clinical toxicology that are comparable with modern medicine. They included removing the toxins from the body, decreasing the severity of the deleterious effects of toxins on the body, and counteracting the effects of toxins inside the body. Aside from introducing different therapeutic agents that played an important role in the treatment of oral poisonings, he emphasized the ameliorating effects of nutritive foods and beverages. Further research using other Persian medical resources is recommended to elucidate the applicable approaches and treatments for different poisonings.

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The datasets used and analyzed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the research deputy and members of the research council of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences who supported this project.

Funding

This study conducted by the financial support of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Operating Room, Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Ebrahim Nasiri

  2. Department of History of Medical Sciences, School of Allied of Medical Sciences, Mazanadaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Jamal Rezaei Orimi

  3. Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran

    Jamal Rezaei Orimi

  4. Traditional Medicine and History of Medical Sciences Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran

    Mohammad Hashemimehr

  5. Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Zahra Aghabeiglooei

  6. Department of Persian Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran

    Maedeh Rezghi

  7. Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, 5Th Kilometer of Khorramabad-Boroujerd Highway, Khoramabad, Lorestan, Iran

    Mohammad Amrollahi-Sharifabadi

Authors
  1. Ebrahim Nasiri
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  2. Jamal Rezaei Orimi
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  3. Mohammad Hashemimehr
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  4. Zahra Aghabeiglooei
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  5. Maedeh Rezghi
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  6. Mohammad Amrollahi-Sharifabadi
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Contributions

Conceptualization: EN, MA-S, and JRO; methodology, validation, analysis, investigation, and resources: JRO, EN, ZA, and MA-S; Data curation, original draft preparation, editing, and reviewing: JRO, MA-S, MR, SMHM, ZA; Visualization, supervision, and project administration: EN, MA-S, JRO, SMHM, ZA, and MR.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Amrollahi-Sharifabadi.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The current research has been approved by the ethics committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences under the ethics code IR.MAZUMS.REC.1400.381.

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Nasiri, E., Orimi, J.R., Hashemimehr, M. et al. Avicenna’s clinical toxicology approach and beneficial materia medica against oral poisoning. Arch Toxicol 97, 981–989 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-023-03464-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-023-03464-w

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