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Narcosis and nightshade

A J Carter1

  • 1North Staffordshire Hospital, Stoke on Trent.

BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|December 21, 1996
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Ancient surgical practices utilized opium poppy extracts and Solanaceae plant sedatives for pain relief. These early methods influenced Shakespeare and evolved into modern anesthetics like scopolamine.

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Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Ethnobotany
  • History of Medicine

Background:

  • Modern surgical anesthesia, celebrated for its 150th anniversary, has deep historical roots predating its formal discovery.
  • Ancient surgical practices incorporated not only opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) extracts for pain but also sedative plants, primarily from the Solanaceae family, for primitive anesthesia.

Observation:

  • The Solanaceae family, a rich source of sedative compounds, was historically employed in various forms for anesthetic purposes.
  • The use of these primitive anesthetic techniques declined during the Middle Ages, yet they significantly inspired literary works, notably Shakespeare's plays.

Findings:

  • The active principal scopolamine, isolated from Solanaceae plants, became crucial in 20th-century anesthesia.
  • The combination of omnopon and scopolamine remains a relevant premedication in contemporary anesthesia.

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Implications:

  • Historical ethnobotanical knowledge of sedative plants contributed to the development of modern anesthetics.
  • The enduring legacy of ancient anesthetic practices is symbolized by the poppy and mandrake motifs in the Association of Anaesthetists' emblem.