Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 4(4), October 2005, pp. 412-415 Clinical Efficacy of Hijamat (Cupping) in Waja-ul-Mafasil (Arthritis) Nighat Anjum, Shakir Jamil*, Abdul Hannan**, Jamal Akhtar, Bilal Ahmad TKDL, NISCAIR, Dr K S Krishnan Marg, New Delhi-110012 * Dept of Moalijat, Faculty of Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110062 ** Regional Research Institute, Okhla, New Delhi-110025 E-mail: nighatanjum@rediffmail.com Received 23 July 2004; revised 6 June 2005 Cupping is one of the oldest and most practiced therapies of the Unani System of Medicine. Unani physicians have described it thoroughly and indicated in various diseases e.g. arthritis, migraine, asthma, headache, hemorrhoids, etc. Arthritis is a very common problem in present day scenario. In this study, an attempt is being made to evaluate the efficacy of cupping in patients of arthritis. 30 patients were randomly selected, of which 20 patients were kept in the test group i.e. these patients were given the cupping therapy, while the rest 10 patients were in the control group and were not receiving the cupping therapy. At the end of the study, it was concluded that cupping is an effective therapy for the patients of arthritis. Key words: Arthritis, Cupping, Unani Medicine, Hijamat IPC Int. Cl. 7 : A61P19/00, A61P19/02, A61P19/08, A61P21/00, A61P29/00 Cupping or Hijamat is a method used for local evacuation or diversion of morbid humours in which a horn 1 is attached to the surface of the skin of the diseased part through negative pressure created by vacuum. The vacuum is created by the introduction of heat or suction. In the late period, this horn (Singhi) is replaced by a glass cup and hence the procedure came to be known as cupping. Cupping is a widely discussed therapeutic regimen in the Unani classical literature. Physicians have been indicating its use for the treatment of arthritis. According to the Unani System of Medicine, diseases are due to the disproportionate distribution of humours or Akhlat (blood or dam, phlegm or balgham, bile or safra, black bile or sauda) inside the body. 2 These humours, which are out of proportion, collect in various parts of the body, at times producing inflammation, and leading to presentation of various diseases. Arthritis is a troubling pain, which causes immobilization of the joint or cessation of function. 3 In case of arthritis, the humours collect in the joints, thereby leading to pain, swelling and other articular tissue damage. 4 Drug therapy in Unani medicine is although quite effective in the treatment of arthralgia due to inflammatory conditions of big and smaller joints, Unani physicians have also advised Ilaj-Bil-Tadabir or regimenal therapy which includes cupping or Hijamat, cauterization or Kai, leeching or Irsal-e- Alaq, venesection or Fasd, etc., which were commonly practiced and were the main stays of surgical practice in ancient and medieval times. 4, 5 Cupping is of two types, cupping with blood letting i.e. Hijamat bilshurt and cupping without blood letting i.e. Hijamat bilashurt. The last one can be done in two ways, vacuum is created by using fire i.e. Bil-naar and vacuum is created not by fire i.e. Bila- naar but instead suction pumps or manual suction is used to create a vacuum that helps in the adhesion of the cup. 2, 4,6-14 The principle for each type of cupping is different, Hijamat bilshurt works according to the principle of Tanqiya-e-Mavad 7,9 i.e. evacuation of morbid matters from the affected area. It also improves circulation to the area and provides better nutrition to the area where it is applied. Hence, swelling, etc. is resolved. Where as cupping without blood letting works on the principle of Imala-e-mavad 7, 9 i.e. diversion of morbid humors from one site to the other. Hijamat bilshurt is used in various diseases like heaviness of head, 6,9 asthma, dyspnoea, migraine, quinsy, palpitation 13 , hemorrhoids, amenorrhea, renal and ureteric colic 13 , plethora 9 , pustules and boils, _______________ *Corresponding author