Traditional Persian Medicine: Concepts, Practice and Research
Traditional Persian medicine is a humoral system from Iran with its own texts, training and clinics; this guide explains its concepts, practice, safety and the quality of research.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
What it is
Traditional Persian medicine (TPM), also called Persian medicine or Iranian traditional medicine, is a system of healthcare that grew out of the medical writing and teaching of Iran. Researchers in Iran describe it as based on humoral concepts, meaning an explanation of health through body fluids and temperament. [1] It is not a single product or a single practice. It includes diagnosis, diet, medicines, and hands-on procedures. This page is information only and does not replace care from a licensed clinician.Where it comes from
The roots of Persian medicine are linked to named physicians and books. Scholars cite the Canon of Medicine by Avicenna, the Zakhirah-e Kharazmshahi by Hakim Esmail Jorjani, and the Kamel al-Sina'ah al-Tibbiyah by Ali ibn al-'Abbas al-Majusi as authoritative texts. [2] Rhazes wrote a book on the medicinal uses of foods, titled Manafe al-Aghziyeh. [3] Historians also point to the Academy of Jundishapur, founded in the Sassanid Empire, as an early teaching center with hospital rounds and a physician licensing exam. [4]Core ideas, as traditional frameworks
These ideas are the tradition's own way of explaining the body. They are not established biology.- Humors and temperament (mizaj). A review of classical texts on depression describes its major causes, in this framework, as imbalances ("dystemperaments") of hot, cold, dry and wet qualities in humors, organs and "spirits." [5] Its authors conclude that, in this view, advice cannot be the same for every patient. [5]
- Nature of foods. Foods are classed as hot, cold or balanced in traditional medicine. [6] The classical books treat food, medicinal food and drug as related ideas, and Rhazes is quoted as saying that when a disease can be treated with food, medicine should be avoided. [3]
- The body's own response. In the humoral view, the body's nature (tabi'at) tries to remove excess substances, and a physician steps in if it cannot. [1]
Traditional practices
Persian medicine uses diet advice, herbal medicines and procedures. One procedure, wet cupping (hijamat), is described in detail on the page about hijama in Islamic practice. Persian-medicine authors note that wet cupping may cause harm in very thin or very obese people, and that many unsupervised procedures are done in Iran with benefits and risks that providers and clients have not measured. [1]How it is practiced and taught today
Persian medicine is taught in university schools in Iran. A 2025 evaluation reports that traditional Persian medicine education began at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2004. [7] That study surveyed only 23 people, so it describes student satisfaction, not clinical outcomes. [7]On policy, a document analysis found nine Iranian policy documents on traditional and complementary medicine, but concluded the policies were implemented slowly or, in some cases, not at all. [8] In interviews, 35 experts named financing, payment, regulation, behavior and organization as challenges. [9] We did not find a regulator's own page we could read, so we do not describe licensing rules here. To check any practitioner, see how to check a traditional practitioner.
What research shows
Research on Persian medicine is mostly done by Iranian university groups, and the quality is uneven. Evidence is best judged one intervention at a time.| Question | What was found | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Is there a research method inside the tradition? | Experts describe criteria for evidence-based practice that follow the same principles as evidence-based medicine, with the tradition's own rules. [10] | Description of an approach, not proof of results |
| Does Persian medicine as a whole work? | One paper says there are few studies on its safety and effectiveness, though research has recently accelerated. [11] | Insufficient evidence for the system as a whole |
| Do "hot" and "cold" food patterns matter for disease? | A case-control study of 60 people with multiple sclerosis and 180 controls found associations with some food-nature patterns. [6] | Insufficient evidence: an association only, with the authors calling for more research |
| Does a Persian-medicine herbal formula help indigestion? | A 2023 trial in 100 people with functional dyspepsia compared a celery and ajwain mix with domperidone. [12] The article has since been retracted. [12] | Do not rely on it |
Two lessons follow. A tradition can suggest a plant to test, but a trial of one plant says little about the whole system. And even a published trial can be withdrawn, so check the status of a study before trusting a headline.
Who should seek conventional care first
Please see a doctor first for chest pain, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, severe depression or thoughts of self-harm, high fever, or any sudden change. In the US, call 911 for an emergency. Do not stop or change prescribed medicines because of any traditional advice. Persian medicine may be used alongside medical care when your clinicians know about it.Related pages
See Unani medicine, Unani humors and mizaj, and historical use vs clinical evidence.Frequently asked questions
Is Persian medicine the same as Unani medicine?
They are related traditions that share humoral ideas and classical authors, but they developed in different places with different training and regulation. See the Unani pages for the South Asian story.
What is mizaj?
Mizaj is usually translated as temperament: the balance of hot, cold, dry and wet qualities that the tradition assigns to humors and organs. [5] It is a traditional concept, not a lab measure.
Is there good evidence that Persian medicine works?
For the system as a whole, no. One paper says there are few studies of its safety and effectiveness. [11] Individual herbs or foods are tested one at a time, with mixed quality.
Can Persian herbal medicines harm the kidneys?
Some plants named in the classical books are described as having kidney-damage potential, and a review found some evidence for 38 percent of them. [13] Tell your doctor about any herb you take, especially with kidney disease.
Can I use Persian medicine instead of my prescribed medicine?
No. Keep taking prescribed medicine unless your prescriber changes it, and tell them about any traditional product you use.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety and product quality
References
- Nimrouzi M, et al. Hijamat in traditional Persian medicine: risks and benefits. J Evid Based Complement Altern Med 2014. Read 2026-10-22.
- Alizadeh M, et al. Diagnosis protocol of stomach distemperament in Iranian traditional medicine: a narrative review. Iran J Public Health 2017. Read 2026-10-22.
- Zare R, Hosseinkhani A. Functional food in traditional Persian medicine. Iran J Med Sci 2016. Read 2026-10-22.
- Daneshfard B, et al. Medical education in the first university of the world, the Jundishapur Academy. J Family Med Prim Care 2022. Read 2026-10-22.
- Anushiravani M, et al. Depression from the perspective of modern and Persian medicine. Electron Physician 2018. Read 2026-10-22.
- Sharifi MH, et al. Association between multiple sclerosis and dietary patterns based on the traditional concept of food nature. BMC Neurol 2021. Read 2026-10-22.
- Ettehadi F, et al. Evaluation of Traditional Persian Medicine curriculum and educational environment at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. J Educ Health Promot 2025. Read 2026-10-22.
- Negahban A, et al. Policies and laws related to the integration of traditional and complementary medicine into the Iranian health system: a document analysis. J Educ Health Promot 2019. Read 2026-10-22.
- Hadian M, et al. Exploring challenges of health system in Iranian traditional medicine: a qualitative study. Ethiop J Health Sci 2020. Read 2026-10-22.
- Soltani Arabshahi S, et al. Criteria for evidence-based practice in Iranian traditional medicine. Acta Med Iran 2015. Read 2026-10-22.
- Ayati MH, et al. The necessity for integrating traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine into medical education curricula in Iran. J Integr Med 2019. Read 2026-10-22.
- Azimi M, et al. Efficacy and safety of a Persian medicine formula on functional dyspepsia symptoms. Complement Med Res 2023 (retracted 2025). Read 2026-10-22.
- Kolangi F, et al. Herbs with potential nephrotoxic effects according to the traditional Persian medicine. Curr Drug Metab 2018. Read 2026-10-22.