The concept of Akhlāṭ Arba‘a (Four Humors) represents the cornerstone of Unani System of Medicine (USM), tracing its origins to the foundational theories of Hippocrates and later elaborated by Galen, Avicenna, and other classical physicians. This paper explores the Kabid (Liver) as the principal organ in the synthesis and regulation of humors, linking physiological digestion to temperament and systemic health. Liver is described as the central site where food undergoes secondary transformation to produce the four essential humors—Dam (Blood), Balgham (Phlegm), Ṣafrā’ (Yellow Bile), and Sawdā (Black Bile)- each playing a unique role in nourishing and maintaining the human body. Ancient authorities such as Avicenna and Ibn al-Nafis depicted the liver as a “metabolic factory,” harmonizing the Ḥarārat Gharīziyya (innate heat) with digestive transformations to maintain mizāj (temperament) and health. The paper integrates perspectives from historical texts to present a coherent physiological framework on Akhlāṭ (humor) formation, their sequential stages of digestion, and eventual systemic distribution. This synthesis underscores the Unani belief that health is the outcome of humoral equilibrium, and any disruption in this balance-whether due to diet, temperature, or organ dysfunction manifests as disease.
Bano et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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