Anatomy of Blood Vessels in Greeko-Arab Medicine: A Review of Classical Texts

Understanding the evolution of cardiovascular knowledge requires exploring the classical insights of Greek and Arab physicians. This study examines historical perspectives on arteries, veins, blood, and pneuma from early Greek philosophers like Alcmaeon and Buqrāt (Hippocrates) to Jalinūs (Galen), and their subsequent refinement by Arab scholars such as Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna) and Ibn Al-Nafīs. The study reveals the contributions of Greek and Arab scholars to the understanding of vascular anatomy and function, including the concept of pneuma, the distinction between arteries and veins, and the idea of blood circulation. The results of the studies and experiments conducted by the ancient Greek and Greeko-Arab scholars led to a greater understanding of the anatomy and function of blood vessels, including the discovery that arteries contain blood and the differentiation between arterial and venous blood. Through critical analysis of classical texts of Herophilūs, Erasistrātūs, Jalinūs, and Rabbān al-Tabarī, this paper highlights how translation, observation, and commentary shaped the foundational concepts of vascular anatomy and function. The study highlights the continuity and transformation of vascular concepts across eras, emphasizing their impact on modern vascular anatomy as well cardiovascular physiology. These insights underscore the importance of historical perspectives in comprehending current medical knowledge and may inform future integrative approaches in medical education and research.