Haris Afzal¹, Mohammad Afif Khan¹, Ayesha Aijaz¹, Tahzeeb Jamal²

¹Assistant Professor, Department of Moalajat, Ibn-e-Sina Tibbiya College and Hospital, Beenapara Azamgarh, 276305, UP, India

²Assistant Professor, Department of Ilaj bit Tadabeer, Ibn-e-Sina Tibbiya College and Hospital, Beenapara Azamgarh, 276305, UP, India

Corresponding Author: Haris Afzal, Assistant Professor, Department of Moalajat, Ibn-e-Sina Tibbiya College and Hospital, Beenapara Azamgarh, 276305, UP, India.

Citation: Haris Afzal, Mohammad Afif Khan, 'Sheikh Ayesha Aijaz', Tahzeeb Jamal (2025) Unani Perspectives on Waja ‘al-Mafāṣil (arthritis): Classification, Clinical Features, and Therapeutic Approaches. J Pain Manag Stress. Sep. 1(1);1-5.

Copy Rights: © 2025, Haris Afzal, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Abstract

Background: Waja‘al-Mafāṣil (arthritis) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders described in Unani medicine, correlating with modern entities such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. Classical physicians, including Rāzī, Ibn Sīnā, and Jurjānī, provided detailed descriptions of its etiology, symptomatology, and management.

Objective: This review aims to present the concept, classification, and therapeutic approaches of Waja‘al-Mafāṣil in Unani medicine and correlate them with modern understanding.

Methods: Relevant classical Unani texts and contemporary scientific literature were reviewed to compile data on the definition, classification, causes, symptoms, and management of Waja‘al-Mafāṣil.

Results: Unani scholars classified Waja‘al-Mafāṣil based on severity (acute, chronic), site of involvement (e.g., Niqris, Waja‘al-Warik, ‘Irq al-Nasā), and underlying humoral imbalance (balghamī, damawī, safrawī, saudāwī, or rīḥī). Clinical features include pain, swelling, stiffness, and restricted joint movement, closely resembling modern descriptions. Management is holistic, comprising Ilāj bi’l-Tadbīr (regimenal therapy), Ilāj bi’l-Ghizā (dietotherapy), and Ilāj bi’l-Dawā (pharmacotherapy). Regimenal measures such as massage, venesection, and leech therapy are used for evacuation of morbid matter. Dietary regulations emphasize easily digestible and temperament-correcting foods. Pharmacotherapy includes single drugs like Suranjān (Colchicum luteum), Asgand (Withania somnifera), Zanjabīl (Zingiber officinale), and Muqil (Commiphora mukul), as well as compound formulations such as Ma‘jūn Suranjān and Itrifāl Muqil. Many of these have documented anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

Conclusion: The Unani concept of Waja‘al-Mafāṣil provides a comprehensive and holistic framework for understanding and managing arthritis. Its therapeutic approaches, particularly the use of Suranjān and other time-tested formulations, parallel modern treatments. Further scientific validation and clinical trials are required to integrate these Unani interventions into contemporary healthcare.

Keywords: Waja‘al-Mafāṣil, Osteoarthritis, Unani medicine, Suranjān, Regimenal therapy, Humoral imbalance