Aconite – a Poison, or a Medicine? Ancient and Early Byzantine Testimonies
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21219637 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Krzysztof Jagusiak (0000-0003-3751-7882, University of Lodz), Konrad Tadajczyk (0000-0002-2487-8163, University of Lodz) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Pages | 119-134 |
| Publication date | 2022-11-28 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Studia Ceranea Journal of the Waldemar Ceran Research Centre for the History and Culture of the Mediterranean Area and South-East Europe (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2084-140X • E-ISSN: 2449-8378 |
| Publisher | Uniwersytet Lodzki (University of Lodz) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.18778/2084-140x.12.24 |
| OpenAlex | W4310148193 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 26 |
Aconite (Aconitum napellus) was one of the most notorious, poisonous plants in the ancient world. Its dangerous, lethal power – present in leaves, roots, stem, and tuber – was well known to the Greeks and the Romans from the earliest times. Evidence of this phenomenon is not only present in archaeological findings, but also in many writings – biographies, poems, legal codes, etc. However, the most precise and detailed accounts come from treatises written by botanists, physicians and encyclopaedists, like Theophrastus, Nicander, Pliny the Elder, Dioscorides, or Galen, and by early Byzantine authors, Oribasius, Aetius of Amida, and Paul of Aegina. In their testimonies, one can find descriptions of aconite, its influence on the human body (and animals), and remedies for affected people. In contrast, there are few passages from these sources that inform the readers about the healing properties of aconite. According to these fragments, carefully administered, aconite could be helpful in some therapies, but its use was extremely hazardous, as even a small part of the plant could kill a man
Ancient history · Art · Byzantine architecture · Emperor · Greeks · Literature · Poetry · Traditional medicine · Berberine and alkaloids research · Bioactive Natural Diterpenoids Research · Classics · History · Medicine · Plant-based Medicinal Research
| Citations per year | 0.33 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2023 - 2023 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |