Geriatric Care and Concept of Anti-Aging in Unani System of Medicine and Western Perspective: A Review

According to UnaniSystem of Medicine, human life (ages) is classified into four categories i.e. Sin-e-Namu, Sin-eShabab, Sin-e-KahulatandSin-eShaikhukhat (Mashaikh), which have own specific MizajandKaifiyat according to their age. Basically, when Kaifiyat changes; its leads to derangement of their Mizaj. When mizaj deviates from normal to abnormal path then, it causes changing in their ages chronically. For this,tahleel (diminished) RatoobatGhareeziya and HararateGhareeziya advocate the process of aging.UnaniAtibba described different types of regimes (tadabeer) for the care of mashaikh (i.e. Riyazat, Dalk, Hammam,Nutool, Hijama,Naghma, Safar, Fasd, Ghiza) and management through (Plant, Mineral and animal origin drugs) which delayed the process of aging. UnaniAtibba also mentioned the organ specific and generalized care. Specific care of an organ stimulates the vitality, which is responsible for the maintenance of HrarateGhareeziya. USM is the only system of medicine which also mentioned the organ specific treatment (i.e. immunomodulator, antioxidant and nootropic activity). Some Murakkabat which delayed the process of aging are ItriphalSagheer, ItriphalKabir, MajoonWaj,MajoonBladur,MajoonBarhami, Majoon Bolas, MajoonFlasafa, JawarishJalinus, TiryaqeFarooque, TiryaqyeWabai, ItriphalUstokhuddus.

Sin-e-Shaikhukhatis the period in which the lacking of quantity of RatoobateGhareeziyaoccurs and it is lesser than the quantity required for the preservation of HararateGhareeziyafor the continuing the bodily normal metabolism and dominated by RatoobateGhareebaBala(abnormal metabolic products). In this period deterioration in the powers and faculties of the body is noticeable. RatoobateGhareeziyaand HararateGhareeziyaare markedly reduced; hence the mizaj becomes Barid and Ratab [1][2][3].
Aging is a universal biological process that leads to progressive and deleterious changes in organisms [4]. In western perspective of aging is "a persistent decline in the age-specific fitness components of an organism due to internal physiological degeneration" [5].
Anti-aging wisdom is definitely not a new research area but also cited by ancient Unani Scholars in their old classical text like Nowadays, the meaning of anti-aging has been changed from simply prolonging lifespan to increasing health span, which emphasizes more on the quality of life [4].
Health is totally depending upon three faculties, which maintain the HararteGhareeziyaand regulates the all functions of the body [1].
Basically life is a wheel which is composed of three spokes (faculties) i.e.
QuwwateNafsaniya, QuwwateTabie'yyaand QuwwateHaiwaniya( Figure 1). When disturbances occur in these three faculties it leads to degenerative changes and finally end of life. Initially when QuwwateNafsaniyais weak, it creates neurological associated problems such as Nisyan(Dementia), Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease etc. QuwwateTabie'yyais responsible for production of pure humours and maintains balance of RatoobateGhareeziyaand HararateGhareeziya. QuwwateHaiwaniya is responsible for circulation of blood and protects the body from free radicals. Free radicals also initiate the process of aging.

Mechanism of Aging in Unani Perspective
RatoobateGhareeziyaplay key role for the equilibrium of HararateGhareeziya.

When
Quantity and quality of RatoobateGhareeziyachanged, it directly affects the HararateGhareeziya.

Management of Aging
UnaniAtibbaalso mentioned the medicament, which delay the process of aging and balance the health are of three types viz; Plant origin, Mineral origin and an Animal origin (Tables 1 and 2). These drugs are mostly Haarmizaj exceptAmla(which has BaridMizaj) and most of the drugs have been proved as antioxidant, immunemodulator, nootropic, anticancer, free radical scavenging, Kaya Kalp/ Rasayain/Aabe Hayat/Elixir of life/Iksir-e-Badan [6,11, (Tables 3  and 4).

Conclusion
Human body totally depends upon all three vital faculties (QuwwateNafsania, QuwwateTabie'yya and QuwwateHaiwania) which acting as a spoke of life wheel. For continuous motion of this wheel, maintained by interpedently of each other like; RatoobateGhareeziya,HararateGhareeziya, humours, temperament, faculties, action. When derangement occurs, it leads deviation from normal to abnormal which advocate the process of aging. UnaniAtibba intensely depicted process of aging and care of it in the caption of TadabeereMashaikh. The regimes and drugs (single and compounds) which described by Unani Scholars in their old classical text for management of aging which are now proved scientifically (antioxidant, immune-modulator, nephro-protective, Cardioprotective, hepato-protective, anticancer, nootropic activity etc.,) as delaying the process of aging and also promote to maintain the balance health. mentioned by Unani scholars in their text are rewarding delayed the process of aging. After the exhaustive literature survey for shaping this review article, it seems to be more reasonable for the direction of geriatric care panorama.