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Abstract

In Traditional Greek Medicine and the medical teachings of Avicenna (Ibn Sina), foods, natural and herbal products, chemical compounds, and nutritional supplements are categorized based on four fundamental temperaments: “hot,” “cold,” “moist,” and “dry.” Each temperament is believed to exert distinct effects on metabolism, circulation, nervous system activity, hormonal regulation, and fluid balance in the body. Despite the widespread use of this classification, the underlying physiological and biochemical mechanisms have not been fully elucidated within the framework of modern medicine, and its applications have largely relied on clinical observations.

This paper proposes a conceptual model that links traditional temperaments to specific neurohormonal, vascular, and biochemical pathways. The hot temperament is associated with increased sympathetic activity, elevated catecholamines, enhanced thyroid hormone levels, reduced prostaglandins, increased basal metabolic rate, and a tendency toward metabolic alkalosis. The cold temperament correlates with parasympathetic dominance, reduced thyroid hormone levels, increased prostaglandins, decreased basal metabolism, and a tendency toward metabolic acidosis. The moist temperament is linked with activation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) and increased secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), resulting in water and sodium retention, whereas the dry temperament is associated with decreased ADH activity or increased water excretion and elevated plasma osmolality, with influences from both the sympathetic/parasympathetic systems and aging. This model not only aligns traditional concepts with modern physiological structures but also provides a foundation for designing future empirical studies to validate these correlations using measurable biochemical and physiological markers‎.

Keywords: Traditional Greek Medicine, Avicenna, Temperament, Neurohormonal regulation, RAAS, ADH, Prostaglandins, HPA axis.