Today, for various reasons, there is a growing tendency towards traditional and complementary medicine in the world as well as growing interest in Persian Medicine in Iran. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of major complaints by patients in some chosen Persian Medicine clinics. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 1319 files of patients referred to Persian Medicine clinics of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in the fourth week of each month in 2012 were investigated and analyzed in terms of major complaints and demographic indices. Data gathering tool was an information form regulated based on main study goals. Data were analyzed by SPSS software Version 19. mean age of patients was 40.82 ± 16.006 years. The most common complaint in all the clinics was musculoskeletal problems (28,7%). Most of the patients were single housewives (38%). The most common complaints in the single-patient group were musculoskeletal problems (35.44%) and in the married-patient group were skin problems (29.41%). The most common complaints in both genders were musculoskeletal complaints (26% in men &31.44% in women). Due to the prevalence of women referral to Persian Medicine centers, adequate knowledge of gynecological diseases is one of the requirements of Persian Medicine professionals that should be considered in their education. Planning for adequate knowledge of musculoskeletal, digestive, and skin diseases should also be considered in educational curricula.

Research on the antimicrobial effects of herbal extracts and natural compounds has proven that herbs have valuable sources of anti-infective agents, and numerous new compounds have been introduced to the market in this regard. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial effectsof Stachys discolor subsp.mazandarana and to analyze the essential oil constituents of thisherb.Antimicrobial effects of ethanol (80%)extract and n-hexane, and chloroform fractions were investigated against three gram-positive bacteria (Staphlococusaureus, Streptococusmutans, andBacillus subtilis), one gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli), and also a fungus (Candidaalbicans) by well plate and agar dilution methods and diameter of the zone of inhibition was determined. The essential oil of the herb aerial parts was extracted by water distillation method and the essential oil compounds were analyzed by GC-Mass.The results of the present study showed that total extract of S. discolor subsp.mazandaranaand its various fractions had almost no antimicrobial activity and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was more than 100 mg / ml. Analysis of essential oils showed that anymol (alpha-bisabolol) (18.10%) andcurcumene (13.20%) were the most abundant components.The results revealed that the studied herb had no antibacterial and antifungal effects. However, given the compounds in the essential oil of this herb, it can be supposed that it may have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects that can be investigated in future studies.

Acne is a multifactorial disease which causes many harmful physical and psychological effects for patients. Several therapies are used in conventional medicine for acne, but most of these methods are not stable and cause side effects. Therefore, it is considered to use complementary medicine alongside conventional therapies to achieve better results. In this article, a patient with chronic and severe acne is presented which is treated by a combination of temperament modification and leech therapy based on Persian medicine.

Hysteria is an intricate disorder which the exact reason has not yet been determined. Sensory-motor symptoms such as falling down, aphonia and jerky movements are common and similar to seizure-like disorders, except that the patient remembers everything after waking up. Non-organic reasons are the most prominent explanations for this situation. Many treatments are offered for hysteria but patients still wander between psychiatrists and neurologists and suffer therapeutic failures, relapses and burden of disease. Persian medicine as an old medical school has clear definitions about the physiopathology and experienced therapeutic suggestions for hysteria. Since this situation can influence patient quality of life, it is worthwhile to find a solution for this debilitative disorder.

Persian medicine (PM) takes a holistic approach towards diagnosis and management of disease states, focusing on the connections between body systems and organs. Menstrual disorders are of utmost importance in women, as they may lead to dysfunctions in other body systems. Deeming a mutual relationship between the gastrointestinal and female reproductive systems, PM physicians believed in a gut-uterine axis to exist. Ehtebas-e Tams (ET), meaning menstrual retention, is not an exception, being accompanied by gastrointestinal morbidities including digestive disorders, nausea, heartburn, food craving and pica, reduced appetite, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea. Considering polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as an instance of ET, we searched studies to investigate these correlations. While a number of the mentioned ET symptoms were confirmed by contemporary studies, others had not been investigated widely and are yet to be elucidated. Conducting studies to clarify such correlations has implications in improved diagnosis and novel modes of treatment.

Spleen is one of the main components of reticuloendothelial system and plays an important role in controlling of red blood cell quality with elimination of old and damaged cells. Physicians of Traditional Persian Medicine believed that spleen has a high incorporation with the liver, and liver has a main role in blood production. So its pathologic changes influence the production of hematologic elements in both aspects of amount and quality.  In this study, chapters related to spleen disease in several Traditional Persian Medicine textbooks and available databases were reviewed. Further the relationship between anemia and spleen diseases were derived and evaluated. After interviewing two experts about the findings and reaching data saturation, the results were compiled and explained. Spleen dysfunction and diseases can lead to anemia, because of intercommunity with liver. This happens with different mechanisms such as: enlargement, cold distemperment, asthenia and crisis.  Although there are many studies so far about anemia, but role of the spleen in the development of anemia is still not well known. Considering the role of the spleen in developing anemia, the drugs used in Persian medicine for spleen-originated anemia may provide an appropriate solution to treat the disease.

In Unani literature obesity is termed as simanmufriṭand farbahῑby Unani scholars.SimanMufritis classified as a balghamῑ(phlegmatic) disease. Literally simanmufriṭmeans excess of shaḥm (fat). Excess of shaḥm is due to burūdat(coldness)and ruṭūbat(wetness). The factors which increase the burūdatand ruṭūbat in the body are cold foods and drinks, cold medicines, rest, sleep, excess of food, moderate degree of pleasure, ḥammām especially after meals etc. According to Jālῑnūs, farbahῑ is caused either due to innate cold temperament or due to excessive adoption of bāridtadābῑr (cold regimens). He mentioned that, themāddῑ (material) cause of excessive body fat is presence of dusūmat (viscous substances) in blood and fa‘ila (active) cause is burūdatdue to which dusūmat of  blood, solidifies and gets deposited in the form of shaḥm. Almost every great Unani scholar has devoted some pages to this old age enemy in their classical texts. They have given detailed description and discussion of simanmufrit and its various pathological conditions, pathophysiology along with its management.