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Dioscorides and De Materia Medica - Black Hellebore
Identifier
018074
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
In the time of Queen Elizabeth I the pharmacopoeia rested on the unquestioned authority of the ancient physician Dioscorides. Even in the middle of the seventeenth century, John Goodyer (1592 to 1644) thought it worthwhile to make the first English translation of the whole work. This translation, written out in Goodyer's small and careful handwriting, filled four and a half thousand pages, taking three years to complete. John Sibthorp (1758 to 1796) used Goodyer's English Codex for his Flora Graeca (1806-1840)8; and Gunther's edition of Goodyer's translation was printed in 1934, and reprinted in 1959.
A description of the experience
From DIOSCORIDES - DE MATERIA MEDICA BEING AN HERBAL WITH MANY OTHER MEDICINAL MATERIALS WRITTEN IN GREEK IN THE FIRST CENTURY OF THE COMMON ERA A NEW INDEXED VERSION IN MODERN ENGLISH BY Tess Anne Osbaldeston and RPA Wood - Introduction
Black hellebore was dug up with great care lest an eagle observe the act, as this would cause death. Dioscorides also recounts the myth of Lysippe and lphianassa, daughters of the King of Argos, who recovered from madness, noting they were healed with black hellebore.
Dr. Duke's
Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
Chemicals and their Biological Activities in: Helleborus niger L. (Ranunculaceae) -- Black Hellebore, Christmas Rose
Chemicals
ACONITIC-ACID Rhizome:
Perfumery FEMA 1-30 ppm
DESGLUCOHELLEBRIN Rhizome:
No activity reported.
FAT Seed 352,000 ppm;
No activity reported.
GLUCOSE Rhizome:
Acetylcholinergic; Antiedemic; Antihepatotoxic; Antiketotic; Antivaricose; Hyperglycemic; Memory-Enhancer
HELLEBORIN Rhizome:
Narcotic
HELLEBRIGENIN Rhizome:
No activity reported.
HELLEBRIN Rhizome:
Anticarcinomic ED50=17 ppb; Digitalic; Narcotic
KAEMPFEROL-3,7-DIGLUCOSIDE Flower:
No activity reported.
KAEMPFEROL-3-0-SOPHOROSIDE Flower:
No activity reported.
KAEMPFEROL-3-SAMBUBIOSIDE Flower:
No activity reported.
KAEMPFEROL-3-SAMBUBIOSIDE-7-GLUCOSIDE Flower:
No activity reported.
L-RHAMNOSE Rhizome:
No activity reported.
PROTEIN Seed 212,000 ppm;
No activity reported.
SPIROST-5,15(27)-DIEN-1BETA,3BETA,11ALPHA-TRIOL Rhizome:
No activity reported.
STROPHANTHOBIOSE Plant:
No activity reported.
The source of the experience
Dioscorides and De Materia MedicaConcepts, symbols and science items
Concepts
Symbols
EagleScience Items
Activities and commonsteps
Commonsteps
References
