Plant Drugs

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31215, 12 November 1966, Page 4

Plant Drugs

Plant Drugs That Changed The World. By Norman Taylor. Allen and Unwin. 275 pp.

Like many other primitive peoples, the Maoris knew the medicinal secrets of certain plants, but whilst the Maoris did not provide modern medicine with any important drugs, other primitive people have done so; this book describes how many secrets were discovered. Several drugs which have assumed great importance were known for hundreds or even thousands of years in a primitive undeveloped state before they attracted the attention of research scientists and became available for the relief of suffering. The stimulating effects of coca leaves were known to the natives of the Andes at about the time of Christ, but the first published mention of it was in Seville in 1553. The Spaniards noted that almost everyone was chewing these leaves and it was considered as the most highly prized plant of the Inca “physicians” who knew that it killed fatigue and increased endurance. About 1888 a young French chemist manufactured various coca products which became the rage of Europe, but just before that two German chemists had discovered that the mystery ingredient was cocaine. Once the dosage was standardised, the drug’s enormous advantage to mankind as a local anaesthetic was apparent. For two thousand years the western world had heard rumours of a drug in India which was used in the treatment of mental cases, but it was not until 1952 that it became available for the institutional treatment of schizophrenics. With the increase of tension in modem living this new drug, reserpine, has brought relief to thousands of mental sufferers. “It is quite literally lifesaving to the more violent and a priceless boon to the less afflicted."

Another plant-derived drug which has been of enormous benefit to mankind is digitalis, which is obtained from the foxglove. Its use in connexion with cures for dropsy was first attempted scientific- i ally in 1775 following on I 'clues of old wives’ tales. The book contains much on, the cathartric drugs, about! the great Dutch cartel on quinine and many fascinating facts about drugs and medicine in general. In 1956, it was reported that a drug derived from a Mexican plant, Dioscorea, would stop ovulation in a woman and thus prevent conception. The chapter on the pain killers is of particular interest as these drugs have nude such a vast difference between life today and that which our ancestors lived a hundred or so years ago. This informative book has a useful index. /