Comprehensive Overview of Diabetes Mellitus in Unani Medicine: A Comparative Perspective

Introduction-Diabetes mellitus (DM) encompasses a group of metabolic disorders marked by persistent high blood sugar levels caused by insufficient insulin production, impaired insulin action, or both, leading to carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism disruptions. If untreated, it can result in numerous complications. Unani medicine offers a rich historical perspective, defining the disease as Dhayābīṭus and identifying various synonyms based on etymology, symptoms, and pathophysiology, such as Dhayābīṭus, Ziasaqus, Qaramees, Dawwāriyya, Dūlābiya, Zalqul Kulya, Istisqā-e-Anmas, Dipsakos, Mu‘attisha, A'atisha, and Parkāriyya. Greco-Arabic physicians identified four potential causes of Dhayābītus: Sū’-i-Mizāj Kulya Ḥārr, Ḍu‘f-i-Kulya, Ittisā Kulya wa Majārī-i-Bawl, Burūdat Badan, Kabid wa Kulya. Methodology- The methodology for this review includes a thorough analysis of classical texts from the Unani system of medicine, complemented by an extensive review of relevant academic literature and published studies. Objective- This review provides a comprehensive overview of the classification, pathogenesis, clinical features, and Complications of diabetes, emphasizing the urgency of confronting this global health crisis.