A review on the past, present and future of Traditional Medicine of Uzbekistan

Song, Youngil; Mirrakhimov, Jamshid Abdullaevich; Kayumov, Kholmurod Nayimovich; Song, Jichung; Chae, Han; Song, Youngil; Mirrakhimov, Jamshid Abdullaevich; Kayumov, Kholmurod Nayimovich; Song, Jichung; Chae, Han

doi:2025.46.2.20

JKM > Volume 46(2); 2025 > Article

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

J Korean Med. 2025;46(2): 20-39. doi: https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.25015

우즈베키스탄 전통의학의 과거, 현재와 미래

송영일^1,2,3,4

¹한국국제협력단
²우즈베키스탄 전통의학 과학임상 센터
³우즈베키스탄 부하라 의과대학
⁴대구한의대학교 한의과대학 의사학교실
⁵몽골민족대학 의과대학 전통의학과
⁶부산대학교 한의학전문대학원
⁷한의학국제협력센터

A review on the past, present and future of Traditional Medicine of Uzbekistan

Youngil Song^1,2,3,4

, Jamshid Abdullaevich Mirrakhimov²

, Kholmurod Nayimovich Kayumov³

, Jichung Song^3,4,5

, and Han Chae^6,7

¹Korea International Cooperation Agency
²Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Folk Medicine, Uzbekistan
³Bukhara State Medical Institute named after Abu Ali ibn Sino, Uzbekistan
⁴Dept. of Medical History, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University
⁵Dept. of Traditional Medicine, College of Medicine, Mongolian National University
⁶School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University
⁷International Center for Korean Medicine

Corresponding Author: Han Chae ,Tel: +82-51-510-8470, Email: han@chaelab.org

Received: March 11, 2025; Revised: April 13, 2025. Accepted: May 22, 2025.

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Uzbekistan possesses a distinctive and longstanding medical tradition rooted in Islamic medicine, which declined under Soviet rule. Recent initiatives aim to reconstruct traditional medicine and foster international cooperation, particularly with Korean traditional medicine. However, comprehensive understanding of the historical and current status of traditional medicine in Central Asia remains limited.
Methods: This study reviews the medical history of Uzbekistan across three periods: the Silk Road era, the Russian and Soviet period, and the post-independence era. For each period, the socio-cultural context, healthcare infrastructure, and status of traditional medicine are examined. Recent legal and institutional developments supporting traditional medicine in the post-independence period are also analyzed.
Results: Uzbekistan traditional medicine evolved under diverse influences, including Islamic, Persian, Greco-Roman, Indian, and East Asian systems, but was largely dismantled during the Soviet era. Since independence, four laws were enacted in 2018, 2020, and 2023 to promote traditional medicine. These efforts have led to the establishment of regulatory frameworks, research institutions, and educational centers dedicated to traditional medicine.
Conclusion: Uzbekistan is actively pursuing the restoration of traditional medicine to strengthen public health and develop the pharmacological sector. Capacity building through expert training is essential for advancing traditional medical systems across Central Asia, and Korean traditional medicine may serve as a valuable model in this effort.