The Canon of Medicine

The Canon of Medicine (Arabic: القانون في الطب, romanized: al-Qānūn fī l-ṭibb) is an encyclopedia of medicine in five books compiled by Avicenna (ابن سینا, ibn Sina) and completed in 1025. It is among the most influential works of its time. It presents an overview of the contemporary medical knowledge of the Islamic world, which had been influenced by earlier traditions including Greco-Roman medicine (particularly Galen), Persian medicine, Chinese medicine and Indian medicine. Its translation from Arabic to Latin in 12th century Toledo greatly influenced the development of medieval medicine. It became the standard textbook for teaching in European universities into the early modern period.

The Canon of Medicine remained a medical authority for centuries. It set the standards for medicine in medieval Europe and the Islamic world and was used as a standard medical textbook through the 18th century in Europe. It is an important text in Unani medicine, a form of traditional medicine practiced in India.