Buzz
It’s widely assumed that before the 1900s, individuals undergoing dental work, tooth removals, or surgical procedures suffered excruciating pain with minimal relief, often relying only on alcohol like whiskey or wine. However, archaeological evidence indicates this wasn’t universally true.
Our forebears displayed remarkable ingenuity in the field of medicine. While the origins of their knowledge remain unclear, they effectively utilized natural resources to alleviate or numb pain.
10. Opium
As early as 3400 BC, opium poppies were cultivated in lower Mesopotamia. The Sumerians referred to the poppy as Hul Gil (“joy plant”), indicating their awareness of its pain-relieving and mood-altering effects.
The expertise in harvesting poppies and deriving opium from them transitioned from the Sumerians to the Assyrians, then to the Babylonians, and finally to the Egyptians. By 1300 BC, the Egyptians were growing their own poppies, and the opium trade flourished under the rule of pharaohs such as Thutmose IV, Akhenaton, and Tutankhamen.
In 330 BC, Alexander the Great introduced opium to the Persians and Indians. Although its use was condemned in Europe as “demonic” around 1300, by 1527, it had regained its status as a valuable medicinal resource.
Opium proved to be a revolutionary anesthetic. However, its recreational use led to smuggling, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities. Even today, opium is viewed as both a societal benefit and a threat, depending on its application.
9. Henbane
Similar to other medicinal herbs and flowers, Hyoscyamus niger, commonly known as henbane, possesses psychotropic properties. Despite this, it has been utilized as an anesthetic since ancient times.
Similar to other Hyoscyamus varieties, henbane includes atropine (a toxic substance found in nightshade plants, used as a muscle relaxant) and scopolamine (a poisonous alkaloid employed to prevent nausea, soothe individuals, or induce sleep). By the first century AD, henbane was already being used to relieve pain.
In ancient Turkey, henbane was known as beng or benc. Consumed as a pill or smoked, it served as a remedy for toothaches, earaches, and various other ailments.
To treat toothaches, henbane was used to fumigate the mouth. After rinsing with warm water, the patient would have henbane seeds, which are particularly rich in atropine and scopolamine, scattered over hot coals. The resulting smoke would enter the mouth, providing relief from toothache pain.
8. Acupuncture
The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (circa 100 BC) is the earliest text to describe acupuncture as a structured system of diagnosis and treatment. Written in a dialogue format, the document features the emperor posing questions, which are answered by his minister Chhi-Po.
The text likely draws from age-old traditions rooted in Taoist philosophy. It discusses life force pathways (meridians), a key concept for addressing various ailments by inserting needles into specific points linked to these pathways.
Acupuncture lost popularity in the 17th century and was banned in 1929. It regained credibility in 1949 when it was reintroduced as a medical alternative. Since then, it has spread to Japan, Europe, and the United States, though limited clinical evidence supports its efficacy in alleviating pain or treating other conditions.
Theoretically, various needles are inserted into hundreds of points across the body to harmonize the flow of yin and yang through the body’s meridians.
Skeptics argue that acupuncture’s effectiveness as an anesthetic and treatment for other conditions is primarily due to placebo effects. However, some acupuncture points may act as “trigger points” that stimulate physiological responses in the body.
7. Mandragora
One of the earliest anesthetics capable of rendering patients unconscious seems to be Mandragora. Greek physician Dioscorides (AD 40–90) documented this effect in the first century AD, referencing Mandragora wine. This wine, derived from the mandrake plant, induced a deep sleep in surgical patients, which Dioscorides termed “anesthesia.”
In 13th-century Italy, Ugo Borgognoni (Hugh of Lucca) pioneered the use of the “soporific sponge” (or “sleep sponge”) to induce an anesthetic sleep. The sponge was soaked in a solution containing opium, Mandragora, hemlock juice, and other substances, then dried and stored. When needed, it was moistened and held over the patient’s nose until the fumes rendered them unconscious.
6. Datura
Despite originating from a poisonous plant, Datura (also known as thorn apple or jimsonweed) was widely used in ancient times as a pain reliever and sleep aid. It is referenced in medical writings by Dioscorides (AD 40–90), Theophrastus (370–285 BC), Celsus (fl. AD 37), and Pliny the Elder (AD 23–79).
The drug had significant side effects. Consuming one drachma (3.411 grams) with wine could lead to hallucinations, while two drachmas could induce madness lasting up to three days. Larger doses could result in permanent insanity or even death.
While Datura effectively alleviated pain during ancient surgeries, improper administration often led to fatalities. This dangerous aspect earned it the nickname “Devil’s apple.”
5. Ethylene
At the oracle of Delphi, the Pythian priestess of Apollo delivered prophecies after breathing in gases emitted from fault lines beneath Apollo’s temple. These gases may have included ethylene, an anesthetic inhaled to induce a trance-like state.
By 1930, ethylene was celebrated as the “new” general anesthetic, replacing chloroform, which was being phased out due to severe post-operative risks like sudden death, and ether, which often caused nausea and vomiting after surgery.
A surgeon who used ethylene in 800 operations reported that it rendered patients unconscious within “three to eight minutes, typically without any agitation or sensations of suffocation.” Recovery was equally swift once the anesthesia mask was removed.
Ethylene offered numerous advantages. It was “less toxic to the nervous system and body cells,” reducing the likelihood of headaches. It didn’t irritate the lungs, negatively impact blood pressure, or lead to excessive bleeding or post-operative sweating. Additionally, it caused less acidosis (excessive tissue or fluid acidity) and rarely resulted in gas pains.
However, ethylene had its downsides. It had a faint, fleeting odor, and more critically, it was highly explosive. This made it unsuitable for use with thermocautery (heated instruments), open flames, or in X-ray rooms.
However, ethylene was suitable for all other types of surgeries. Apollo’s priestess would likely have concurred with the surgeon’s positive evaluation of this gaseous anesthetic.
4. Cannabis
As early as 2900 BC, Chinese Emperor Fu noted that cannabis was recognized for its pain-relieving properties. The plant was listed in the Rh-Ya, a 15th-century BC Chinese pharmacopoeia that served as a comprehensive drug encyclopedia. From China, the use of cannabis for pain relief spread globally.
Around 1000 BC, Indians began combining cannabis with milk to create a pain-relieving concoction called Bhang. Over time, cannabis was also used to treat pain from earaches, swelling, and inflammation.
By AD 200, Hua To, a Chinese physician, developed an anesthetic by blending cannabis with resin and wine, enabling nearly painless abdominal, loin, and chest surgeries. By AD 800, Arabic doctors used cannabis to ease the pain of migraine headaches.
3. Willow Bark
For hundreds of years, willow tree bark served as a natural anti-inflammatory remedy for pain relief. White willows, abundant along the Nile’s banks, provided an accessible source of this medicinal bark.
The Ebers Papyrus, a collection of medical texts from around 1500 BC, documented the use of willow bark as a pain reliever. Both ancient Chinese and Greek civilizations utilized it for the same purpose. Dioscorides highlighted its ability to reduce inflammation.
Modern studies indicate that willow bark is an effective painkiller due to its salicin content, a compound similar to aspirin. Research has shown it to be more effective than aspirin at lower doses. This ancient remedy remains in use today for alleviating headaches, back pain, and osteoarthritis.
2. Carotid Compression
One method of pain relief involved rendering patients unconscious. Ancient physicians occasionally applied pressure to the carotid arteries in the neck, reducing or temporarily cutting off blood flow from the heart to the brain.
Aristotle noted the effectiveness of carotid compression in inducing unconsciousness, stating, “If these veins [sic] are pressed externally, men, though not actually choked, become insensible and collapse.”
The ancients’ understanding of this technique is reflected in the term karotids or karos, meaning “to stupefy or plunge into a deep sleep.” Rufus of Ephesus (c. AD 100) explained that the neck arteries were named carotid arteries because compressing them induced stupor or sleep.
A sculpture on the Parthenon’s south side in Athens depicts a centaur compressing a Lapith warrior’s left carotid artery, demonstrating the ancient Greeks’ awareness of this method’s effectiveness in causing unconsciousness. This technique, used in warfare, was also adapted for medical purposes.
1. Corydalis Plant
In ancient China, the tubers of the Corydalis plant were harvested, boiled in vinegar, and used to relieve pain from headaches and backaches. This plant, part of the poppy family, primarily grows in central eastern China.
Modern scientists confirm its effectiveness as an analgesic due to its dehydrocorybulbine (DHCB) content, a natural pain-relieving compound. “This remedy has been used for thousands of years and remains relevant because it works,” explained Olivier Civelli, a pharmacologist at UC Irvine.
Ancient Chinese physicians believed the Corydalis plant alleviated pain by enhancing the flow of life force chi. Recent studies reveal that DHCB functions similarly to morphine but targets dopamine receptors instead of morphine receptors. Additionally, DHCB is non-addictive, unlike morphine.
Interestingly, a plant long utilized in traditional Chinese medicine may offer innovative solutions for pain relief in contemporary patients. Researchers suggest that DHCB, derived from the tubers of the Corydalis plant, could emerge as a groundbreaking treatment for various forms of pain in the future.
