title: Ameliorating Role Exerted by Al-Hijamah in Autoimmune Diseases: Effect on Serum Autoantibodies and Inflammatory Mediators.
abstract: Autoimmune diseases have common properties characterized by abnormal blood chemistry with high serum autoimmune antibodies, and inflammatory mediators. Those causative pathological substances (CPS) cannot be excreted by physiological mechanisms. Current treatments for autoimmune diseases involve steroids, cytotoxic drugs, plasmapheresis and monoclonal antibodies. Wet cupping therapy (WCT) of prophetic medicine is called Al-hijamah that treats numerous diseases having different etiology and pathogenesis via a pressure-dependent and size-dependent non-specific filtration then excretion of CPS causing clearance of blood and interstitial fluids. Al-hijamah clears blood passing through the fenestrated skin capillaries. Medical bases of Al-hijamah were reported in the evidence-based Taibah mechanism (Taibah theory). Al-hijamah was reported to be an excellent treatment for rheumatoid arthritis that improved patients' blood chemistry and induced significant clinical improvement and pharmacological potentiation. Al-hijamah improved the natural immunity and suppressed the pathological immunity through decreasing the serum level of autoantibodies, inflammatory mediators, and serum ferritin (a key player in autoimmunity). Al-hijamah reduced significantly pain severity, number of swollen joints and disease activity with no significant side effects. Main steps of Al-hijamah are skin suction (cupping), scarification (sharatmihjam in Arabic) and second suction (triple S technique) that is better therapeutically than the traditional WCT (double S technique). Whenever an excess noxious substance is to be removed from patients' blood and interstitial fluids, Al-hijamah is indicated. Shartatmihjam is a curative treatment in prophetic teachings according to the prophetic hadeeth: "Cure is in three: in shartatmihjam, oral honey and cauterization. I do not recommend my nation to cauterize". Al-hijamah may have better therapeutic benefits than plasmapheresis. Al-hijamah may be promising in treating autoimmune diseases as a sole treatment or adjuvant treatment.
authors: Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Taibah Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Hussam
authors: H
authors: Baghdadi
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Taibah Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Sohag Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt.
authors: Nada
authors: N
authors: Abdel-Aziz
authors: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Sohag Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt.
authors: Nagwa Sayed
authors: NS
authors: Ahmed
authors: World Federation of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Cairo Regional Headquarter, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Hany Salah
authors: HS
authors: Mahmoud
authors: Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Taibah Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alexandria Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
authors: Ayman
authors: A
authors: Barghash
authors: Balaghsoun Clinics compound, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Abdullah
authors: A
authors: Nasrat
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Sohag Teaching Hospital, Sohag, Egypt ; Division of Pediatric cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Maternity and Children Hospital, King Abdullah Medical City, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Manal Mohamed Helmy
authors: MM
authors: Nabo
authors: Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Taibah Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; Department of Medical Biochemistry, Sohag Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt.
authors: Salah Mohamed
authors: SM
authors: El Sayed
keywords: Al-hijamah; Autoimmune diseases; Prophetic medicine; Rheumatoid arthritis and Plasmapheresis; Serum ferritin