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dc.contributor.authorJulyan, M.
dc.contributor.authorDircksen, M.
dc.date.accessioned2012-08-31T10:57:11Z
dc.date.available2012-08-31T10:57:11Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.identifier.citationJulyan, M. & Dircksen, M. 2011. The ancient drug opium. Akroterion: journal for the classics in South Africa, 56:75-90. [https://doi.org/10.7445/56-0-5]en_US
dc.identifier.issn0303-1896
dc.identifier.issn2079-2883 (Online)
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10394/7166
dc.identifier.urihttps://akroterion.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/5
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.7445/56-0-5
dc.description.abstractThe use of papaver somniferum (from the Latin fero ferre = ‘tobear/bring’ and somnium = ‘sleep’) as a narcotic, goes backto the 13th century BC. The works of ancient authors such asDioscorides, Celsus, Galen, Theophrastus and Pliny the Elderprovide us with detailed information about the morphology of theplant, its processing and the administration of the drug.1 Theseauthors make it clear that opium was mainly employed as anodyneand narcotic but they also documented its use as a drug inthe treatment of a variety of ailments, either as one of manyingredients in a medicinal recipe or as the main ingredient.Modern botanical and pharmaceutical analysis of the plant and itsactive ingredients provide us with some surprising conclusionsregarding its effectiveness in the treatment of the medical conditionsfor which it was prescribed in the 1st and 2nd century.en_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Stellenboschen_US
dc.titleThe ancient drug opiumen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.contributor.researchID12861081 - Julyan, Marlene
dc.contributor.researchID10184198 - Dircksen, Marianne Rinske


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