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.
Similar content being viewed by others
Availability of data and materials
The datasets used and analyzed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
References
Abhilash KPP, Murugan S, Rabbi NAS et al (2022) Deliberate self-poisoning and harm: a meticulous quest of methods in vogue. J Fam Med Prim Care 11(1):233
Aldy K, Du T, Weaver MM, Roth B, Cao DJ (2022) Seniors and single-use detergent sacs (SUDS): a review of the National Poison Data System from 2012 to 2020. Clin Toxicol. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650.2022.2074856
Alozi M, Rawas-Qalaji M (2020) Treating organophosphates poisoning: management challenges and potential solutions. Crit Rev Toxicol 50(9):764–779
Bhatti SA, Khan MZ, Saleemi MK, Hassan ZU, Khan A (2022) Ameliorative role of dietary activated carbon against ochratoxin-a induced oxidative damage, suppressed performance and toxicological effects. Toxin Reviews 41(1):108–118
Chiba T, Otaka S, Igeta R, Burns MM, Ikeda S, Shiga T (2022) Epidemiology and clinical outcomes of poisoning-induced cardiac arrest in Japan: retrospective analysis of a nationwide registry. Resuscitation 180:52–58
Edriss H, Rosales BN, Nugent C, Conrad C, Nugent K (2017) Islamic medicine in the middle ages, vol 354. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 223–229
Eljaoudi R, Moutaouakkil Y, Adouani B et al (2021) Availability of antidotes in Moroccan hospitals: a national survey. Eur J Hosp Pharm. https://doi.org/10.1136/ejhpharm-2021-002842
Gallagher N, Edwards FJ (2019) The diagnosis and management of toxic alcohol poisoning in the emergency department: a review article. Adv J Emerg Med. 3(3):e28. https://doi.org/10.22114/ajem.v0i0.153
Heindel GA, Trella JD, Osterhoudt KC (2017) Rising cost of antidotes in the U.S.: cost comparison from 2010 to 2015. Clin Toxicol 55(5):360–363. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650.2017.1286014
Hernández-Calle D, Martínez-Alés G, López-Cuadrado T (2022) Suicidal and accidental drug poisoning mortality among older adults and working-age individuals in Spain between 2000 and 2018. BMC Geriatr 22(1):114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-02806-0
Ibn-e-Sina A (2005) Al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (Canon of Medicine). Beirut: Dare Ehyae al-Torathe al-Arabi
Jain R, Bhalla AS, Naranje P et al (2022) Ingestion poisoning related lung injury-a pictorial review. Emerg Radiol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-022-02044-2
Joshi D, Mittal DK, Bhadauria M, Nirala SK, Shrivastava S, Shukla S (2010) Role of micronutrients against dimethylmercury intoxication in male rats. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 29(2):97–103
Klaassen CD, Hardman J, Limbird L, Molinoff P, Ruddon R, Gilman A (2006) Principles of toxicology and treatment of poisoning. Goodman and GilmanÕs the pharmacological basis of therapeutics, Eleventh. McGraw Hill, Columbus, pp 1739–1752
Kouli M, Al Houri HN, Jomaa S et al (2022) Epidemiology of poisoning in Syria (1999 through 2020). Clin Toxicol. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650.2022.2156882
Krajewski AK, Friedman LS (2015) Hospital outcomes and economic costs from poisoning cases in Illinois. Clin Toxicol 53(5):433–445. https://doi.org/10.3109/15563650.2015.1030677
Matin BK, Amrollahi-Sharifabadi M, Rezaei S, Heidari A, Kazemi-Karyani A (2022) Epidemiology and economic burden of an outbreak of cyclopeptide-containing mushroom poisoning in the west of iran. Front Pub Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.910024
Nelson LS, Hoffman RS, Howland MA, Lewin NA, Goldfrank LR (2018) Goldfrank’s toxicologic emergencies, Eleventh. McGraw Hill LLC, Amsterdam
Park G, Ahn C, Kim JH (2022) Nationwide population-based study of poisoning-induced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in South Korea. BMJ Open 12(4):e060378
Shannon MW, Borron SW, Burns MJ, Haddad LM, Winchester JF (2007) Haddad and Winchester’s clinical management of poisoning and drug overdose. Saunders/Elsevier, New York
Shoja MM, Rashidi MR, Tubbs RS, Etemadi J, Abbasnejad F, Agutter PS (2011) Legacy of Avicenna and evidence-based medicine. Int J Cardiol 150(3):243–246
Sut N, Memis D (2008) Intensive care costs of acute poisoning cases. Clin Toxicol 46(5):457–460. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650701644295
Weijl N, Elsendoorn T, Lentjes E et al (2004) Supplementation with antioxidant micronutrients and chemotherapy-induced toxicity in cancer patients treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Eur J Cancer 40(11):1713–1723
Zhang Y, Li Q, Liu X, Zhu H, Song A, Jiao J (2013) Antioxidant and micronutrient-rich milk formula reduces lead poisoning and related oxidative damage in lead-exposed mice. Food Chem Toxicol 57:201–208
Zimmerman JL (2003) Poisonings and overdoses in the intensive care unit: general and specific management issues. Crit Care Med 31(12):2794–2801
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.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
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
Ethics declarations
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.
Informed consent
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Consent to participate
Not applicable.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
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
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-023-03464-w