Buddhist and Arabic era

Vagbhata, another Buddhist physician living in the Indus region (Second century AD) wrote two classics in "Ayurveda Ashanga Sangraha" and "Ashtanga Hridaya". Vagbbata emphasised the principles of medicine, Susruta dealt mainly with surgery and anatomy, while Charaka emphasized therapeutics. The Yoga concept of physical and mental culture to preserve the health of the body and the mind developed in India. Even when the Aryan influx into India brought in Ayurveda, other systems of medicine such as Siddha and Chintamoni existed in this sub-continent, especially in the South from pre-Aryan times. The Buddha (6th Century BC) and his disciples practiced medicine and consequently healing of the sick was given a great importance.

Arabic and middle eastern countries share the tradition of Arabic folk medicine and the Unani or adopted Greek medicine. It was essentially taken from Galenic teachings during the early Islamic period. Several names stand out prominently among those who developed this system-Ibn Sina of Andolasia in Spain, Al Mansur of Baghdad, Avicenna, Razi, Rhzes, and others. The back bone of the theoretical instruction was the Alexandrian canons which summarized a few books compiled by Galen. The major works in Unani were "Al qnanum Fi-Tibb" by Ibn Sina, continued by Rhazes, "Kitab-Al-shifa" by Avicenna, "Al-Tarsiff" by AhuQuasim-Az-Zuhra-Wi" and several others. Hospitals were established from the tenth century AD in several towns. Surgery and Ophthalmology was practiced during this period and the works of Unani Surgeons paved the way for development of Surgery in Europe. In India, the Muslim rulers popularized Unani system side by side with Ayurveda. After its golden age in the 12th century the system came to a stand-still and declined.