Urine Sediments As A Diagnostic Tool in Unani System of Medicine: A Review

The visual examination (naked-eye examination) of the urine is called uroscopy. It provides valuable insights into the health of the liver, kidney, and bladder, as well as into the vascular and systemic conditions affecting these organs. Urine is analyzed based on parameters such as color, consistency, turbidity or clarity, volume, froth, odor, and sediments. Among these, sediments serve as an important diagnostic and prognostic tool. The term "sediment" gives the impression of any substance that settles. However, in the Unani system of medicine, physicians use the terms rasūb, that is, “sediment” or “residue” to describe substances that are denser and appear distinct compared with the urine, even if they are suspended or floating. Urine sediments are waste of hadm-e-uruqi (vascular digestion) or hadm-e-uzwi (tissue digestion). The nature, quality, quantity, form, position, time, and admixture of sediments provide clues about the various states of the body. This study aimed to examine the significance of urine sediments in diagnosing diseases.