05 · CLASSICAL BODILY FLUIDS
Humours
AkhlāṭBlood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile within the historical Unani model.
What the term means.
The four humours are traditionally named dam, balgham, ṣafrā’, and sawdā’. In historical theory, their quantity and quality were used to describe health patterns and temperament. This vocabulary belongs to a premodern medical system with its own internal logic.
How it connects
to the whole.
- 01Dam is traditionally associated with warm–moist qualities.
- 02Ṣafrā’ with warm–dry; balgham with cool–moist.
- 03Sawdā’ is traditionally associated with cool–dry qualities.
Useful context.
Clear limits.
CoreVital may explain humour terminology for literacy and cultural context, but does not ask members to diagnose an excess or deficiency. The historical humours are not equivalent to modern lab values, hormones, blood chemistry, or specific organs.
This page explains a historical Unani concept. It is not a diagnostic tool, treatment recommendation, biological measurement, or substitute for care from a qualified healthcare professional.
Further reading.
CoreVital’s explanations are written in our own educational language and supported by public institutional references.
WHO · Benchmarks for training in Unani medicine ↗WHO · International standard terminologies on Unani medicine ↗