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 | 7 naturals (elements, temperaments, humors, organs, forces, actions, spirit) | Like cures like, minimum dose, experiments in healthy persons | Healing power of nature, treat the cause of disease, do no harm, doctor as teacher, treat the whole person, prevention | 4 levels of formative forces (physical, life, soul, spirit), 3-fold constitution (nerve-sense, rhythmic, motor-metabolic) |
| Medicinal products & substances | Herbs, minerals, zoological | Herbs, minerals, zoological | Herbs, oils, perfumes | Homeopathic∗ | Herbs, homeopathic∗, Chinese, food supplements | Homeopathic∗, herbs, minerals, zoological, chemically defined |
| Massage | Tuina, shiatsu | Ayurveda massage | Tadlik massage | Swedish massage | Rhythmical massage | |
| Physical therapy | Hydrotherapy | Hydrotherapy, thermotherapy | Hydrotherapy, thermotherapy, joint manipulation | Hydrotherapy, thermotherapy, external applications | ||
| Other nonmedication treatment | Acupuncture, moxibustion | Purgation, lifestyle counselling | Purgation, cupping, leeching | Case taking, lifestyle counselling | Acupuncture, lifestyle counselling | Artistic (music, speech, painting, drawing, clay), biography & lifestyle counselling |
| Physical exercises | Qigong, Tai-Chi | Breathing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Eurythmy movements |
| Other self-treatment | Heliotherapy, meditation | Reciting sacred text | Stress reduction | Heliotherapy, relaxation techniques | Meditation | |
| Diet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
∗Homeopathic medicinal products can be of herbal, mineral, or zoological origin or chemically defined and are defined by specific homeopathic manufacturing procedures (see text).