Rhazes’ insights on abortion and abortogenic drugs in relation to modern concepts

Abortion remains one of the most prevalent complications of pregnancy, contributing significantly to maternal mortality and presenting a substantial public health challenge. This study aimed to explore Rhazes’ perspective on abortion and abortifacient medicinal plants he mentioned in Kitāb al-Ḥāwī fī al-Ṭibb. A detailed analysis of his seminal work, Kitāb al-Ḥāwī fī al-Ṭibb, was conducted. Relevant keywords such as abortion, stillbirth, fetus, drugs, and abortifacients were examined within Kitāb al-Ḥāwī fī al-Ṭibb. The analysis included Rhazes’ viewpoints on abortion and the abortogenic drugs he mentioned, as well as their methods of administration, including oral dosage forms and vaginal formulations. Furthermore, relevant current literature was used to find the potential scientific rationales for Rhazes’ insights. Our findings indicate that Rhazes contributed to obstetrics and gynecology as he discussed abortion, its prevention, and management in his book. Also, he identified various medicinal plants with potential abortogenic properties. Rhazes explained various administration methods, including rub, decoction, inhalation, suppository, enema, incense, and water bath. Even though his clinical practices and detailed observations provide a rich context for understanding the historical use of these agents, evidence-based medical practices need to be conducted to cleave potentially usable parts of Rhazes’ perspectives and his approaches to the prevention and treatment of abortion. Moreover, there is a pressing need for well-designed randomized clinical trials to rigorously evaluate the potential efficacy and safety of the medical insights and the potential therapeutic herbal agents he described.