A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PROSTATE GLAND AND BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES AND THEIR ACKNOWLEDGMENT IN THE UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

Mohd. Faizan, Yusra Qureshi, *Yasmeen Shamsi, Naseem Akhtar Khan

The historical understanding and clinical management of the prostate gland and its disorders have witnessed a remarkable evolution, from ancient misconceptions to the evidence-based practices of modern medicine. In antiquity, anatomists such as Herophilus and Galen referred vaguely to “c,” likely the seminal vesicles, as the prostate gland had not yet been recognized due to limitations in human dissection and reliance on animal models. The Renaissance marked a turning point when Niccolò Massa and Andreas Vesalius accurately described and illustrated the prostate, establishing the anatomical foundation for subsequent advances in urology. Today, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is understood as a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate gland, predominantly affecting elderly men. Clinically, it is characterized by lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and bladder outlet obstruction (BOO), significantly impairing quality of life. Current treatment options include pharmacological therapies such as α-adrenergic blockers and 5α-reductase inhibitors, alongside surgical interventions like transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Although effective, these approaches are frequently associated with adverse outcomes, including sexual dysfunction, cardiovascular complications, and perioperative risks, underscoring the need for safer and more holistic alternatives. Interestingly, classical Unani medicine, rooted in Greco-Arabic medical thought, described conditions resembling BPH centuries before the condition was anatomically recognized. Disorders such as Waram-e-Unq-al-Mathana (inflammation of the bladder neck) and Insidad Majra-i-Mathana (urinary passage obstruction) reflect clinical awareness of urinary difficulties aligned with modern BPH symptomatology. Unani scholars, including Hippocrates, Galen, and Avicenna, emphasized humoral imbalance (Sue Mizaj) as a central pathology, recommending herbal formulations, dietary regulation, and lifestyle modifications as therapeutic measures. This review explores the convergence of historical insights and modern biomedical understanding of BPH. By integrating contemporary clinical knowledge with Unani principles, it highlights the potential of traditional therapies as complementary strategies for symptom control, improved quality of life, and reduced adverse effects in the management of BPH.