Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

Graeco-Arabic Concept of Narfarsi (Eczema)
Amjad ALI *, M. A. SIDDIQUE**, Tanzeel AHMAD** and Ahsan ILAHI***
* Deoband Unani Medical College, Deoband, Saharanpur, U.P. India.
e-mail: amjadalimzn@gmail.com
** National Institute of Unani Medicine, Magadi Main Road, Bangalore, India.
*** Ahsan Herbal Care, Venous Tower, Near Jamia Urdu, Medical Road, Aligarh.
e-mail: ahsanilahiamu@gmail.com
Summary
Narfarsi is a Persian term used to describe Eczema. The word “eczema” is derived from a Greek word “Ekzein” which means to boil out. Eczema is an
inflammatory condition of skin, a form of dermatitis, marked by dryness, rashes, itching, the blister formation, and exudation of fluid.
Key Words: Narfarsi (Eczema), Graeco (Unani)-Islamic Medicine.
76
Introduction
Narfarsi (Eczema) is a major health care problem and
one of the most common skin disorders that affects a large
chunk of population in today’s world. Due to lack of availability
of wholesome and safe medicine in the treatment
of eczema, it has continuously been the thrust area for the
researchers of different system of medicine. Unani system
of medicine is a treasure trove for effective and innocuous
drugs. Ancient Unani scholars have described the disease
and recommended many drugs for its effective treatment
in their respective manuscripts. In present paper, we have
reviewed the Graeco-Arabic history of Narfarsi, definitions
of Narfarsi by ancient scholars, pathogenesis of Narfarsi in
Graeco-Arabic literature, etiology of Narfarsi in the light
of Graeco-Arab Medicine, classification, principles of management
and finally conclusion.
Graeco-Arabic history of Narfarsi
There is much evidence that the skin diseases were recognized
and therapeutic efforts were attended even when
the first social structure of human evolved. The skin diseases
have been documented in the mummies of ancient Egypt
dating 5000 years ago. The Eber’s and Edwin Smith’s papyri
of over 3000 years showed a lot of treatment of skin diseases
including eczema. The Herbrew Bible, had described
dermatological diseases and their therapy some 2700 years
ago [1]. Zakaria Razi (850-923AD) an eminent Unani phy-
sician has described Narfarsi as a skin disease in which
there is vesicles formation associated with intense itching
and burning [2]. Ibne Sina (980-1037AD) a legendry Unani
physician and author of famous book “Al-Qanoon-Fit-Tib”
has given the detail description of the disease under the
heading of Jamra and Narfarsi.
نامسا ناذه كلذ ريغو ةّيسرافلا رانلاو ميجلاب ةرمجلا“‏
ةشيركشخلل ثدحم قرحم طفنم لاكأ رثب لك ىلع اقلطأ امبر
نم ةيسرافلا رانلا مسا قلطأ امبرو يكلاو قرحلا ثادحإ
طفنم قرحم لاكأ ةلمنلا سنج نم رثب كانه ناك ام ىلع كلذ
ءادوسلا ليلق ةداملا يوارفص نوكيو ةبوطرو يعس هيف
كانه نأك ةريغص ةريبك روثب عم نوكيو ريعقتلا ليلق
ام ىلع ةرمجلا مسا قلطأو رثبلاو نايلغلا ريثك داح طلخ
ريثك نوكيو ةبوطر ريغ نم وضعلا محفيو ناكملا دوسي
امبرو يسمرت مجحلا ريبك ليلق هرثبو ‏ًاصئاغ ةيوادوسلا
عيمجو ةرمج لوألا يف تأدتبا لب ةتبلا رثب كانه نكي مل
ةيسرافلا رانلا طفنتي دقو برجلاك ةكحب ءىدتبي كلذ
يوكي قرحم يواكملا نع ليسي امك ءيش هنم ليسيو رمجلاو
نوكيو ‏ًايصاصر ناك امبرو دوسأ هنول يف يدامر عضوملا
ىلإ ليم عم لب ةرمح قدص ريغ نم هب ‏ًافيطم ديدشلا بيهللا
‏)بطلا يف نوناقلا « ‏(داوسلا
Ibne Sina described “Jamra and Narfarsi sometimes
used commonly for any blister having itching, irritation
and burning. The burning of the lesion is as severe as the
burning of fire. It is sometime used for a blister which
is corrosive, burning and irritative that may spread with
Damvi Madda (sanguineous substance) and very rarely
with Sawdavi Madda (black bilious substance). It is usu-
ISHIM 2011-2012