2000-year-old pills found in Greek shipwreck

[crystal sage]

My link

In 130 BC, a ship fashioned from the wood of walnut trees and bulging with medicines and Syrian glassware sank off the coast of Tuscany, Italy. Archaeologists found its precious load 20 years ago and now, for the first time, archaeobotanists have been able to examine and analyse pills that were prepared by the physicians of ancient Greece.

DNA analyses show that each millennia-old tablet is a mixture of more than 10 different plant extracts, from hibiscus to celery.Fleischer analysed DNA fragments in two of the pills and compared the sequences to the GenBank genetic database maintained by the US National Institutes of Health. He was able to identify carrot, radish, celery, wild onion, oak, cabbage, alfalfa and yarrow. He also found hibiscus extract, probably imported from east Asia or the lands of present-day India or Ethiopia.

"Most of these plants are known to have been used by the ancients to treat sick people," says FleischerThe concoctions have also thrown archaeobotanists a few curve balls. Preliminary analyses of the ancient pills suggest they contain sunflower, a plant that is not thought to have existed in the Old World before Europeans discovered the Americas in the 1400s. If the finding is confirmed, botanists may need to revise the traditional history of the plant and its diffusion, says Touwaide – but it's impossible for now to be sure that the sunflower in the pills isn't simply from recent contamination.

.

I wonder if they will also find samples of the mysterious " mithridatum"

Mithridate, also known as mithridatium, mithridatum, or mithridaticum, is a semi-mythical remedy with as many as 65 ingredients, used as an antidote for poisoning, and said to be created by Mithradates VI Eupator of Pontus. It was among one of the most complex, highly sought-after drugs during the Middle Age and Renaissance, particularly in Italy and France, where they were in continual use for centuries.[1] An updated recipe called theriac (Theriacum Andromachi) was known well into the 19th century.[2]

Mithridate takes its name from its inventor, Mithradates VI, King of Pontus (134 to 63 BC) who is said to have so fortified his body against poisons with antidotes and preservatives, that when he tried to kill himself, he could not find any poison that would have an effect. The recipe of it was found in his cabinet, written with his own hand, and was carried to Rome by Pompey. It was translated into Latin by Pompey's freedman Lenaeus, and later improved upon by Nero's physician Andromachus and Marcus Aurelius's physician Galen.[3] It likely underwent considerable alterations since the time of Mithradates.[2]

My link

[crystal sage]

An unusually well-preserved new fossil that sheds light on the history of the sunflower family and adds to evidence that it originated in southern South America about 50 million years ago.

Edited December 14, 2010 by crystal sage

[Prab]

I hope that they find something that reveals us the secret of eternal life or some superhuman powers would also be nice

[marcos anthony toledo]

So they think have found Sunflower seeds in the 2000 years Greek shipwreck joins cocane and tobacco pe dateing Columbus in the anicent Meditterian what new surpires await to be found.

[Corp]

Neat find. Be interesting to see what medical knowledge, if any, they can pull from this.

[BiffSplitkins]

Neat find. Be interesting to see what medical knowledge, if any, they can pull from this.

Knowing the Greeks they were probably ****** tablets.

Edit: Vi@gra won't make it through the language filter? LOL

Edited December 15, 2010 by BiffSplitkins

[daymay]

Sunflowers as well as most herbs, fruits, and vegetables have been used for thousands, hundreds of thousands of years by past civilizations to treat a variety of illnesses and conditions, minor and major. This is where we get our pharmacutical knowledge from in the first place. Most medications of today are derived from some type of plant or other, and many cultures in today's world still use these "old age" remedies with out the help of "modern science". Quite the contrary, modern science seems to derive it's knowledge of herbs and plant life to help them discover "new" treatments and medicines, from the civilizations of the past. Instead of spending money on "when" these plants were introduced to the different territories of the world, why not spend the money on research of these plants and herbs, and how to use them in today's medicine, lowering the cost of medications and prescriptions around the globe. Many families, even whole communities, are going back to using dried fruits, vegetables, and herbs to deal with everyday health problems and conditions. Even our diet has seen a change in recent years, employing foods that are "good for your health", foods that lower cholesterol and fight free radicals. I'd much rather eat my way to healthiness then take the 8 pills I have to take each morning, plus the 5 in the afternoon and evening.

[Metalhead]

POP

[27vet]

Sunflowers as well as most herbs, fruits, and vegetables have been used for thousands, hundreds of thousands of years by past civilizations to treat a variety of illnesses and conditions, minor and major. This is where we get our pharmacutical knowledge from in the first place. Most medications of today are derived from some type of plant or other, and many cultures in today's world still use these "old age" remedies with out the help of "modern science". Quite the contrary, modern science seems to derive it's knowledge of herbs and plant life to help them discover "new" treatments and medicines, from the civilizations of the past. Instead of spending money on "when" these plants were introduced to the different territories of the world, why not spend the money on research of these plants and herbs, and how to use them in today's medicine, lowering the cost of medications and prescriptions around the globe. Many families, even whole communities, are going back to using dried fruits, vegetables, and herbs to deal with everyday health problems and conditions. Even our diet has seen a change in recent years, employing foods that are "good for your health", foods that lower cholesterol and fight free radicals. I'd much rather eat my way to healthiness then take the 8 pills I have to take each morning, plus the 5 in the afternoon and evening.

The pharmaceutical industry rakes in billions of dollars every day by selling patented medicines. They would go bankrupt if everyone stuck to a healthy lifestyle, ate healthy foods and did exercises. Therefore it is not in their best interests to overly promote such a way of life. Antioxidant supplements can help given that most agriculture these days is carried out with artificial fertilizers and in depleted soils, which lower the nutritional quality of the produce. It would be great if the medical fraternity only had to deal with congenital problems and the occasional inevitable trauma.

[regeneratia]

An unusually well-preserved new fossil that sheds light on the history of the sunflower family and adds to evidence that it originated in southern South America about 50 million years ago.

This makes me think of something: When I went to Rosslyn Chapel, there was the issue of why there would be corn carved in the chapel, when there was no European knowledge of corn at the time. Or that is what the docent said.

[d e v i c e]

I wonder how much Dioscorides and Galen used to charge their patients for a consultation. Probably nothing compared to the doctors of today. And then you've got your prescription fees. I might see if I can get my hands on some of those ancient pills. Bet they work better than half the crap they give you today.

[Drev]

I hope that they find something that reveals us the secret of eternal life or some superhuman powers would also be nice

You'd think they'd still be around if they invented eternal life.

[Prab]

You'd think they'd still be around if they invented eternal life.

Actually I am just kidding,

actually I made those pills 2k years ago myself

LOL!!!

Oh just kidding again its actually 3k old and back then my grandson made them and I didn't

LOL!

Kidding.

[Drev]

[Ealdwita]

Actually I am just kidding,

actually I made those pills 2k years ago myself

LOL!!!

Oh just kidding again its actually 3k old and back then my grandson made them and I didn't

LOL!

Kidding.

Is it you whose been selling Mrs. Ealdwita those headache pills all these years?

[JGirl]

i find it interesting that this medicine was found in pill form. i assumed tablets were a relatively modern way to dose medication.

[pallidin]

I've always been fascinated by herbal remedies.

But how the heck did those "pills" survive so long?

[Prab]

Is it you whose been selling Mrs. Ealdwita those headache pills all these years?

oops!

You caught me!

LoL!

[CuriousGreek]

I hope that they find something that reveals us the secret of eternal life or some superhuman powers would also be nice

That would be great

[CuriousGreek]

I've always been fascinated by herbal remedies.

But how the heck did those "pills" survive so long?

I hope scientists will find the answer to that one..!