Discovered a 2000-year-old herb pill

Scientists are trying to uncover the mystery of a pill found in a shipwreck dating back 2,000 years, in fact the tablet has been made from other plant herbs. together.

The wreck of the ancient ship Relitto del Pozzino.

And the biggest question is: Can the ingredients of these ancient pills be applied to heal modern diseases? Dating back to 130 BC, the ancient ship called Relitto del Pozzino , was sunk off the coast of Tuscany (Italy). Among the artificial artifacts found on this ship in 1989 were glass cups, a vase and ceramic products, all believed to be on the ship when it left the continent. East of the Mediterranean.

On the shipwreck, there are many medical-related artifacts such as a copper blood cup and 136 jars of Poplar trees and tins. Inside of one of these tins archaeologists found some round tablets, many of which were almost dry.

According to Robert Fleischer, an evolutionary geneticist working at the Smithsonian Center for Evolutionary Genetics and Conservation in Washington, DC, " These pills are less than 1 inch in diameter and thick. About 3.5 inches, these are pellets that contain very tightly compressed botanical ingredients. Indeed, you need to use a scalpel to cut each part of the tablet. On the other hand, by microscopic observation, we clearly see plant fibers in the tablet. Perhaps as the tablet is not a pure medicinal powder block '.

By DNA testing, archaeologist Robert Fleischer has identified a number of ingredients in these ancient pills, including carrots, beets, parsley, celery, onion, cabbage. , alfalfa, oak and hibiscus flowers. This ingredient is similar to a recently discovered archaeological discovery in China about a porridge of up to 2,400 years in which porridge soup is found inside a sealed pot. private.

But the discovery of ancient ship wrecks was an unprecedented discovery when archaeological vestiges were ancient herbs and for the first time DNA analysis was carried out. research. So far, new things found in ancient pills have also been found in ancient medical literature, according to Alain Touwaide, scientific director of the Institute of Traditional Medicine Preservation (IPMT). In Washington, Mr. Alain said: ' My main job is to discover new bibliographies as well as those that have been overlooked in the past about ways to use herbs of all prosperous cultures. around the Mediterranean region ' .

Shocking discoveries

Alain Touwaide, a botanical archaeologist - one of those responsible for analyzing plant species from archaeological sites - has 35 years of career in exploring and publishing bibliographies. Ancient from all over the world. " We bring these books to light, not only arousing historical excitement, but because we think we have authentic evidence, that these This ancient medical library is quite useful in modern pharmacological research. When I started my work, academics all said that ancient bibliographies were quibble documents or some sedative effect. Even historians have not given any comment on this issue . '

Alain Touwaide said that the 2,000-year-old pill is just the tip of the iceberg, he said: ' I have huge data and that I'm trying to get all the information about the plants used to treatment of pathological symptoms'. By applying DNA analysis to the ancient pills, Robert Fleischer noted the differences: 'What amazes us is that there are many ingredients in each pill, this one has the other member. So it is difficult to identify them. It is possible that having a lot of herbal ingredients is just one way to add flavor to a medicine to help people drink them without shock '.

Both Robert Fleischer and Alain Touwaide are currently working on these ancient drugs, hoping to determine their original use. Alain Touwaide hypothesized: ' When I read my bibliographies, the common denominator I noticed, the ancient pills were used to treat digestive problems. Since then, I have conceived the idea that these pills may have been used to treat dysentery for sailors, and that the disease is quite common among sailors '.

Both Robert Fleischer and Alain Touwaide hope that by studying the signals of a new paradigm in pharmacological research as permanent pill forms, it seems to be a matter of great concern throughout thousands of years. history and medicine. Robert Fleischer said: ' We know there is a lot of traditional knowledge that exists in cultures and many places have been used and it has been accepted in modern cultures - drugs like Aspirin have The main active ingredient comes from the bark of the willow tree. So I think there will be a lot of potential in understanding the useful ingredients in these pills - or by combining the materials together - that really prove its effectiveness . '

Alain Touwaide warned the scientists: ' We have found ways to use herbs that have been neglected for a long time. My personal opinion is that if the ancient cultures, which have been around for centuries, have spent a lot of time, effort and money to keep this information, proving that the pills in the real world useful with life, not useless stuff '. Artifacts found from the wreck of the shipwreck Relitto del Pozzino are currently on display at the Populonia Archaeological Museum in Piombino (Italy).