What are the world's major traditional medicine systems?

The answer

Traditional medicine systems represent thousands of years of accumulated health knowledge. Ayurveda, originating in India over 3,000 years ago, classifies individuals by three doshas (body types) and treats illness through diet, herbs, yoga, and lifestyle modification. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), developed over 2,500 years, uses acupuncture, herbal formulas, and qi-based diagnosis. Unani medicine, rooted in Greek humoral theory and refined by Islamic scholars like Ibn Sina (Avicenna), remains widely practiced across South and Central Asia. African traditional medicine varies greatly by region and includes herbalism, divination, and spiritual healing. The World Health Organization estimates that traditional medicine is the primary healthcare source for about 80% of people in developing nations, and many modern pharmaceuticals, including aspirin and artemisinin, derive from traditional plant remedies.