Key takeaways
- Unani medicine traces its roots to Greek physicians and developed further in Persia and India.
- It is based on the four humours (akhlat) and on each person’s temperament (mizaj).
- Common forms include sharbat (syrups), majoon (herbal pastes), roghan (oils) and qurs (tablets).
- In India, Unani is recognised under AYUSH alongside Ayurveda, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
- Read the label for the composition and dose, and ask a Unani physician (hakim) or doctor if unsure.
Unani medicine has been part of India's health traditions for many centuries, and Unani products such as Safi and Joshina are household names. This guide explains where Unani comes from, its main principles, the forms you will see in our Unani medicines range and how to buy and use them safely.
Where Unani medicine comes from
The word Unani comes from Yunan, the Arabic and Persian word for Greece. The system traces its roots to the Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen and was developed further by Arab and Persian physicians, notably Ibn Sina (Avicenna), whose Canon of Medicine became a standard text for centuries. Unani physicians, known as hakims, brought the system to India, where it absorbed local herbs and knowledge. Today Unani is one of the systems recognised by the Government of India under the Ministry of AYUSH, with its own colleges, pharmacopoeia and licensed manufacturers.
Key principles
- The four humours (akhlat): blood (dam), phlegm (balgham), yellow bile (safra) and black bile (sauda). Health is described as a balance of these.
- Temperament (mizaj): each person, food and medicine is described as hot or cold and moist or dry. A hakim considers a person's temperament when advising diet and medicine.
- Six essentials of life: air, food and drink, movement and rest, sleep and wakefulness, emotions, and elimination. Unani gives great importance to these lifestyle factors.
Unani and Ayurveda share an emphasis on balance, diet and routine, and some herbs are used in both, but they are separate systems with their own principles and formulas.
Common Unani dosage forms
| Form | What it is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Sharbat | Syrup | Safi, Joshina |
| Majoon | A semi-solid herbal paste, similar to an avaleha | Majoon formulas made by several manufacturers |
| Khamira | A soft, sweet preparation | Khamira Marwarid and others |
| Roghan | Oil | Roghan Badam Shirin |
| Qurs and habb | Tablets and pills | Sualin |
| Arq | A distilled herbal water | Arq Gulab (rose water) |
Our range includes Hamdard Safi, Joshina syrup, Sualin tablets and Roghan Badam Shirin, along with other Hamdard products such as honey.
Using Unani medicines safely
- Follow the label dose, and use the measuring cup for syrups.
- Check the sugar content in sharbat and majoon if you need to limit sugar.
- Check the age guidance before giving any product to a child.
- Ask a doctor before use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you take other medicines.
- Some formulas contain minerals or animal-derived ingredients; the label lists the composition.
What to check before you buy
As with Ayurvedic medicines, a genuine Unani product should show the manufacturer's name and address, a drug licence number, the batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates and the full composition. Our checklist on how to read a medicine label applies to Unani products too.
Our recommendation
Choose a Unani medicine by its exact name and manufacturer, read the composition and dose, check the age guidance and sugar content, and ask a hakim or doctor if you are unsure whether it suits you.
