De materia medica

De materia medica is a seminal work by Pedanius Dioscorides, a Greek physician and pharmacologist who lived around the 1st century AD. Written in five books around 77 AD, it served as the primary pharmacological text for approximately 16 centuries.1

The book details nearly 600 plants, including cannabis and peppermint, and approximately 1,000 simple drugs. Dioscorides also described animal derivatives like milk and honey, as well as chemical substances such as mercury and arsenic. He noted the use of opium and mandragora for surgical anesthesia.1

De materia medica was influential in establishing botanical terminology and was translated into at least seven languages. It remained a key text in medical practice until the late 15th century. The term "materia medica" itself refers to substances used in medical remedies or the branch of medical science dealing with drugs.12