Book Of Medicine

Book Of Medicine

David Huynh, Adam Kadi, Nadja Scipio
Central High School

Ms. Truong Pharmacology
September 23, 2019

Herbs

Eucalyptus (Eucalypti Folium)

Eucalyptus is native to
Australia, but it is grown all
around the world

(“The History of Eucalyptus”, 2002)

Uses of Eucalyptus

Uses Include:
❏ Relieving joint pains
❏ Relieving minor nasal symptoms
❏ Reducing coughing

(“Eucalyptus: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning”, 2019)

Toxicology

Eucalyptus extracts can be fatal if taken in large
quantities

It may cause:

❏ Stomach Pain ❏ Muscle Weakness
❏ Burning ❏ Constricted Pupils
❏ Dizziness

(“Eucalyptus: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning”, 2019)

Possible Interactions

Eucalyptus slows down the speed at which the liver
breaks down substances.

This can interact with other medicines that are
broken down by the liver, where the medicines last
longer within the body and produce enhanced
effects and side effects.

(“Eucalyptus Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning”, 2019)

Turmeric (Curcumae Longa)

Turmeric

Originating from South-East Asia, its uses Include:
❏ Reducing arthritis pains
❏ Reducing hay fever symptoms
❏ Reducing itching caused by kidney symptoms

(“Turmeric: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning”, 2019)

Toxicology

Turmeric may cause the following if taken in large

quantities: And Possibly:

❏ Upset stomach ❏ Heart arrhythmia

❏ Nausea

❏ Dizziness

❏ Diarrhea

(“Turmeric: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning”, 2019)

Possible Interactions

One of turmeric’s effects is that it slows down
clotting factors.
This could interact with other clotting inhibitors,
being potentially dangerous.

(“Turmeric: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning”, 2019)

Ginger

Ginger

● Scientific Name: Zingiber officinale (Rong, 2009)
● Used to ease nausea and motion sickness,

including nausea caused by pregnancy and
chemotherapy. (Health Encyclopedia, n.d.)

Ginger (Continued)

● These days, most ginger still comes from Asia.
India produces the largest quantity, followed by
China and Indonesia. Other ginger-producing
countries include Nepal, Australia, Nigeria and
Fiji. (“Grow It Yourself: Ginger”, n.d.)

Toxicology

● Side effects of Ginger include:
❏ Mouth/Throat Irritation
❏ Diarrhea
❏ Heartburn

Toxicology (continued)

● High Doses of ginger may result in it acting as a
gastric irritant.

● Inhalation of ginger dust may result in
IgE-mediated allergy.

● Possible toxicity shown when consumed in a
longer term and higher dosages

(Ginger, n.d.)

Possible Interactions

● Taking ginger with medicine that slows blood
clotting can result in increased bruising and
bleeding.

● Taking it with medication that lowers blood
pressure might cause it to drop too low or cause
irregular heartbeat.

(Ginger, n.d.)

Garlic

Garlic

● Scientific Name: Allium Sativum
● Garlic is used for lowering cholesterol and blood

pressure. Researchers are currently exploring
garlic's possible role in preventing cancer.

(Fleugel, n.d.)

Garlic (continued)

● Garlic is believed to be a native of Central Asia
and Northeast Iran. (“Garlic”, 2019, September
24).

Toxicology

● Garlic is considered to be about 5-times as
potent as onion and leeks. Toxic doses of garlic
can cause damage to the red blood cells (making
them more likely to rupture) leading to anemia.

(Is Garlic Bad, n.d.)

Possible Interactions

● It should not be used with warfarin, because
large amounts of garlic may affect clotting. For
the same reason, large amounts should not be
taken before dental procedures or surgery.

(Is Garlic Bad, n.d.)

Terms

Embalming: using natural herbs and mixtures to
preserve a body
Attrition: wearing away of tooth tissue which
results in inflammation, tooth loss, and abscesses

Jasmine (Jasminum
Officinale)

● Grows throughout the caucasus to the Himalayas, and
South Eastern China (University of Oxford, n.d.)

Jasmine (Jasminum Officinale) : Ancient
Uses

● Kings of Ancient
Chinese, Middle
Eastern, and
Egyptian societies,
kept Jasmine on
their grounds for
the aromatherapy
(Wang, n.d.)

Jasmine (Jasminum Officinale) Modern Uses

● Today, Jasmine is still used for aromatherapy,
because it calms depression and anxiety (Wang,
n.d.)

● Lotions and teas made from the juices of the
Jasmine flower restore skin moisture and
elasticity (Wang, n.d.)

● Application of the Jasmine essential oil are used
to soothe pain, irritability, headaches, and stress
(Wang, n.d.)

Gelsemium Sempervirens (Yellow Jasmine)

Highly poisonous when consumed (Wolfe, n.d.). Can
cause:

● Impaired vision
● Drooping eyelids
● Paralysis
● Death

(Wolfe, n.d.)

Jasmine (Jasminum Officinale):
Contraindications

● Any interactions jasmine may have with other
substances are unknown (Wong, 2019)

● Generally a safe plant, but jasmine essential oil
should not be consumed without medical
presence (Wong, 2019)

● Jasmine essential oil could cause skin irritation
(Wong, 2019)

Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)

Mainly
cultivated in the
mediterranean
regions
(GardenMandy,
2019)

Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia):
Ancient Uses

● Egyptians: used lavender for embalming process
before mummification and perfumes
(TumaloLavender, n.d.)

● Romans: used lavender for cooking and in soaps;
also used for antiseptic and healing qualities
(Tumalolavender, n.d.)

● Greeks: used lavender for relief from back aches
and insomnia (TumaloLavender, n.d.)

Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia):
Modern Uses

● Lavender essential oil from the lavender flower,
when applied to skin, can aid with hair loss, pain,
and emotional health (National Center for
Complementary and Integrative Health, 2016)

● Aromatherapy: lavender vapor made from
lavender oil and hot water aids with sleep and
agitation (National Center for Complementary
and Integrative Health, 2016)

Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia):
Toxicity and Contraindications

● Non-toxic plant but should not be consumed in
large amounts (WebMD, n.d.)

● Don’t use lavender essential oil at least two weeks
before surgery. (WebMD, n.d.)

● People with low blood sugar should avoid
extremely high concentrations of lavender oil
(EScents, 2019)

Ancient Medicinal
Practices

Bloodletting

What Is Bloodletting?

Bloodletting was an ancient medical practice where
either a leech was attacked, or an incision was made
on any part of the body, and the patient’s blood was
allowed to flow freely. (Greenstone, 2010)

Reasoning

The ancient belief behind bloodletting was that
diseases were caused by a buildup of the “4
humors”, blood being one of them.
(Greenstone, 2010)

Origins

Bloodletting was practiced in many ancient cultures
However, the practice originated in Ancient Egypt,
and the belief about the 4 humours developed in
Ancient Greece (Cohen, 2012)

Modern Connection

Bloodletting is not used in modern medicine, but
the use of leeches has stuck.
Leeches can be used to serve as artificial veins in
cases where arteries are working, but the veins are
not. (“Modern Leeching”, n.d.)

Trephination

Origins

Trephination is not attributed to any ancient
civilization alone, but its first uses date back to the
Neolithic Period (9,000 BC to 3,000 BC)

(Fawcett, 2019)

What Was it Used For?

Trephination was used on patients for both physical
and spiritual reasons. (Fawcett, 2016)
It was used to treat patients with seizures,
migraines, and mental disorders. (Irving, 2019)

Reasoning

The reasoning behind drilling a hole into someone’s
head was to relieve pressure inside the skull, and in
some cultures it was to release or free spirits from
the skull. (Irving, 2019)

Modern Connection

Nowadays trephination is not practiced, however
there is a similar surgery that is done on the head
called a Burr Hole Surgery.

(Whitlock, 2019)

Mummification

Mummification

● The medical practice of mummification was
practiced and created by the ancient Egyptians
(Krueger, n.d.)

● The purpose of this was because the Egyptians
believed in life after death, so they would
preserve the bodies so that they can be used in
the afterlife (Krueger, n.d.)

Mummification Process

● The process of mummification consists of 7
steps:

❏ Announcement of Death
❏ Embalming the Body
❏ Removal of the Brain
❏ Internal Organs Removed
❏ Drying the Body Out
❏ Wrapping the Body
❏ Final Procession

(Krueger, n.d.)

Mummification Today

● Mummification is still used today, with current
costs for services being $67,000
(“Mummification Costs”, n.d).

● Alan Billis was a 61 year old taxi driver that
suffered from lung cancer. After he passed, he
was the first person in 3000 years to get
mummified. (Krueger, n.d.)

Ancient Egyptian Dentistry

Ancient Oral Care

● Many ancient Egyptians suffered from attrition
because of their diets (AncientEgyptOnline, n.d.)

● To combat this, the ancient Egyptians developed
mouthwash from sweet beer, bran, and celery
(AncientEgyptOnline, n.d.)

● The mouthwash helped to soothe tooth pain and
promote tooth and gum health
(AncientEgyptOnline, n.d.)

Relating Ancient Egyptian Medicine to
Today

● Mouthwash and toothpaste are still prevalent in
society today

● Though today, mouthwashes are made of
different components than back in ancient
Egypt, they both still have the same purpose:
promoting tooth and gum health