The Anatomical Legacy of the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract in Greco-Arabic Medicine

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive historical review of the anatomy of the lower gastrointestinal tract as described in classical Greco-Arabic medical literature, with particular emphasis on the Unani tradition. Drawing upon the anatomical observations of Hippocrates, Aristotle, Herophilus, Rufus, Galen, and their subsequent refinement by distinguished Arab and Persian physicians, including Rabban Ṭabarī, Zakariyyā Rāzī (Rhazes), ʿAlī ibn al-ʿAbbās al-Majūsī (Haly Abbas), Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna), Abū Sahl Masīḥī, Ibn Rushd (Averroes), and ʿAbd al-Laṭīf al-Baghdādī, this review examines the classical descriptions of the intestines, mesentery, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, portal venous system, and associated anatomical structures. These scholars provided detailed accounts of the morphology, topographical relationships, vascular supply, and physiological functions of the digestive organs, introducing concepts related to digestion, nutrient absorption, biliary secretion, and hepatic metabolism within the framework of Unani medicine. Although several physiological theories, particularly those concerning humoural balance and hepatic blood formation, have been superseded by modern scientific knowledge, many of their gross anatomical observations closely correspond with contemporary anatomy. By tracing the evolution of anatomical knowledge from classical Greek medicine through its development during the Islamic Golden Age, this review highlights the scientific contributions of Greco-Arab physicians to the understanding of the lower gastrointestinal tract. The study demonstrates that their meticulous observations and systematic interpretations formed an important foundation for the historical development of gastrointestinal anatomy and continue to hold significance in the history of medicine and the evolution of anatomical science