Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

Arshiya SULTANA(x), Khaleeq ur RAHMAN(xx),
Mazherunnisa BEGUM(xxx), Shafeeq ur RAHMAN(xxxx)
Views of Ibn Sina (Avicenna) on Ifraat Haiz (Menorrhagia)
the Canon of medicine continued to be printed and read
into the second half of the seventeenth century and still in
use in the Orient. The synonym of “Canon”- Qanoon-are:
code of laws; series of principles. It was printed in Arabic
for the first time in Rome in 1593 and in Cairo in 1874. This
book is a logical and systematic work of his that provides
a complete system of medicine according to the principles
of Galen and Hippocrates. 5, 6 It was the first book dealing
with experimental medicine, evidence-based medicine,
randomized controlled trials, 7, 8 and efficacy tests, 9, 10 and
it laid out rules and principles for testing the effectiveness
of new drugs and medications, which still form the basis of
clinical pharmacology and modern clinical trials: 11
Al Qanoon (Canon of Medicine) is composed of five
volumes. Vol. 1, The general principles of medicine; Vol.
II, Simple Drugs; Vol. III, Description of internal and external
diseases of individual organs, from head to foot; Vol.
IV, Description of general diseases which are not connected
with any special organ, and beauty culture; Vol V, The
3, 12
Compounding of drugs-formulary.
The literature of this manuscript was reviewed in Urdu
version (translated by Ghulam Hussnain Kantoori) of Al
Qanoon. Ibn Sina had described diseases of female genital
organs in Vol. III. Menorrhagia is discussed in amraze rehm
under the heading of Ifraat haiz. 13
Views of Ibn Sina about Menstrual Cycle: Ibn Sina
mentioned normal menstruation according to duration,
quality and quantity indicates the healthy condition of
women and helps in maintaining tabayi mizaj (normal temperament)
of the human body. Normal menstruation occurs
once in a month that helps in tanqiya badan from fasid
mawad (harmful substances) that are harmful to the body.
Duration of normal menstrual cycle is 30 days. Abnormality
in menstrual cycle can occur depending upon the duration
of cycle or duration of flow of menstruation. The duration
of cycle can be prolonged that exceed by 15 or 16 days (oligomenorrhoea)
or the duration of flow of menstruation can
be more than 7 days (menorrhagia). Increase or decrease in
days of menstrual cycle is abnormal that can lead to different
diseases like uqr (infertility), samanae mufrat (obesity),
zouf aam (weakness), sueul quinya (anaemia) , ishqat (abortion),
zouf janeen (weak fetus), etc. Ithebas haiz (Amenorrhoea)
causes imtela badan, (congestion in the body) headache,
generalized body pain, fever, etc. Ithebas haiz leads to
hysteria, palpitation and shock. It can also cause nasfuddam
(heamptysis) and qai uddam (haematemesis). According to
respective mizaj the women will develop that type of diseases
like safravi mizaj women will have safravi diseases, damvi
mizaj will have damvi diseases, saudavi mizaj will have saudavi
diseases and balghami mizaj will have balghami diseas-
es. Inqatae tams (menopause) is seen in women of 35 or 40
years and in some women it can be observed after 50 years
of age. In sine yaas (menopause) milk is produced from the
breast. Obesity and bulky uterus can also cause ithebas haiz.
Ifraat haiz (Menorrhagia)
Definition:
Ifraat haiz or kasrate tams or sailan haiz is increase in
menstrual flow either in amount or duration of blood loss.
Etiology: The causes of Ifraat haiz are
1. Imtela badan (plethora) means excessive quantity of
blood in the body; hence the body expels excessive
waste matter through menstruation for tanqiya badan.
Sometimes ifraat haiz is caused due different type
of marz (disease) or amraz rehm (diseases of uterus) 12
2. Amraz Rehm (Uterine Diseases):
Zouf rehm (weakness of uterus) and zouf urooq rehm
(weakness of uterine vessels). The causes of zouf
rehm are sue mizaj rehm, zouf urooq rehm (weakness
in the uterine vessels), and as a complication of
previous diseases in uterus. 3
Sue mizaj (abnormal temperament)
Aakal rehm (rodent Ulcer)
Bawaseer rehm (polyp of uterus)
Kharishe rehm (pruritus of uterus)
Shiqaqur rehm that leads to Inshiqaq urooq rehm
(uterine rupture)
Quroohe rehm (ulcer of uterus)
Abila rehm
Dilatation, fragility and rupture of uterine vessels
are caused by asbaab dakheeli (internal) and asbaab
khariji (external factors). The asbaab khariji (external
factors) are trauma and injury that can also lead
to ifraat haiz. The asbaab dakheeli (internal factors)
like sue mizaj make the vessels delicate and soft
thereby causing rupture of uterine vessels and leads
to menorrhagia.
Difficulty in labour, leads to weakness of uterus and
rupture of uterine vessels. Intrauterine death or stillbirth
can also lead to ifraat haiz.
3. Due to riqqat and latafat khoon, blood will become
raqeeq and taez leading to excessive bleeding from uterine
vessels.
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ISHIM 2011-2012