Endometrial Cancer in Unani/Persian Medicine (9th–19th Century) Compared with Modern Perspectives

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Traditional Medicine and Hydrotherapy Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran

2 Medical Philosophy and History Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

3 Department of History, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

4 Department of Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

10.30476/rhm.2026.106278.1299

Abstract

Endometrial pathology occupies a significant, though underexplored, place in the medical literature of classical Unani/Persian medicine (9th–19th century CE). This historiographical study examines how prominent physicians—such as Rhazes, Avicenna, al-Jurjani, and Abulcasis—conceptualized what they termed saratan (sarataan) or ‘urūd (urooz) of the uterus: a condition characterized by hard, brawny swellings, ulceration, foul discharge, and progressive emaciation. Drawing on primary textual sources, the paper traces the evolution of diagnostic criteria, humoral etiologies (particularly melancholic predominance), and therapeutic strategies—including dietary regulation, phlebotomy, herbal suppositories, and abzan (herbal sitz baths). Rather than framing Persian medicine as “alternative,” this analysis situates it within its own epistemic framework, emphasizing its internal coherence and clinical empiricism. The study reveals a sophisticated, multi-stage model of uterine malignancy that reflects centuries of cumulative observation and theoretical refinement. By foregrounding the history of concepts rather than clinical comparison, this work contributes to a deeper understanding of gynecological knowledge in the Persian medical tradition and underscores the value of contextual historiography in the history of medicine.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Volume 15, Issue 2
Special Issue on Unani/Persian Medicine
May 2026
Pages 159-172

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