Whole Medical Systems versus the System of Conventional Biomedicine: A Critical, Narrative Review of Similarities, Differences, and Factors That Promote the Integration Process
Table 1
Overview of six whole medical systems.
Chinese
Ayurveda
Unani
Homeopathy
Naturopathy
Anthroposophic
Classical texts
221–207 BC
Variously dated c700–200 BC
Avicenna, 1025 AD
Hahnemann, 1796
Gleich, 1848
Steiner & Wegman, 1925
Use (main regions)
East Asia
South Asia
South Asia, Middle East
Europe, India
Europe, English-speaking countries
Europe, South America
Key concepts
2 forces (yin, yang), vital energy (qi), 5 elements, meridians
3 energies or doshas (pitta, vaka, kapha), 5 elements
Homeopathic medicinal products can be of herbal, mineral, or zoological origin or chemically defined and are defined by specific homeopathic manufacturing procedures (see text).