Student blog: Dioscorides and Biodiversity: The Legacy of Medicinal Plants

What can nature offer to human health? This question has always fascinated Anastasia Tsolaki, Master's student in the Track Plant Biology of the Master Environmental Biology. Anastasia carried out her research project at the Botanical Gardens, where  she discovered that ancients texts can still provide valuable insights.

One of the most significant surviving works on medicinal plants

One of the most significant surviving works on medicinal plants is De Materia Medica by Dioscorides, written in the 1st century BC. Pedanius Dioscorides was a Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist. . Although the original manuscript has not been preserved, its contents have been transmitted through later manuscripts, which researchers rely on to identify the plants he described. But these copies often contain vague plant descriptions and abstract plant illustrations. Additionally, Dioscorides lived long before the modern plant classification system, and the names he used do not align with current terminology. The lost original manuscript and the undecipherable plant names make the interpretation of his work challenging today.

A collection of 16th-century herbaria

In this project, we traced Dioscorides’ plants through references found in 16th-century herbaria. These collections contain actual plant specimens instead of vague plant descriptions and illustrations and therefore they are the closest physical evidence to the work of Dioscorides that we have available today. They are thus the key to unlocking this treasure trove of ancient medicinal knowledge. By analyzing these historical sources, we compiled a list of candidate species, focusing on those that most closely match the descriptions of Dioscorides. We then examined their medicinal uses as stated in current literature in an effort to link Dioscorides’ observations and the remedies he proposed to the modern biological activities of these plants. Through literature research, we assessed which uses have been scientifically validated and which still remain unexplored and have potential application for the modern pharmaceutical industry.

The vast knowledge accumulated

One of the most fascinating aspects of this project is the vast medicinal knowledge accumulated in the work of Dioscorides, despite the lack of modern tools and technology. It is remarkable how ancient scholars were able to study, classify, and document medicinal plants with such accuracy, relying solely on observation and experience. Ancient knowledge was diverse, with plants used to treat everything from common ailments like colds and wounds to more complex issues such as abortion and mental illness. The main challenge in this work lies in its interdisciplinary nature, requiring the integration of plant taxonomy, linguistics, and pharmaceutical expertise. Balancing these different perspectives makes the project both complex and deeply rewarding.

Remains valuable in modern pharmacology

This project offers an opportunity to explore how ancient knowledge has been passed down through history and remains valuable in modern pharmacology. Historical records reveal not only the plants used at the time but also their distribution and importance. By studying the plants described by Dioscorides and later botanists, we gain insights into human interactions with plants and shifts in medicinal practices. Comparing these historical plants with those of the present helps track changes in plant populations and their medicinal uses.

Providing insights into the medicinal potential of plants described in ancient texts

The findings of this project contribute to a "Healthy Planet" by providing insights into the medicinal potential of plants described in ancient texts. By identifying and matching these plants to their medicinal uses, we not only preserve valuable historical knowledge but also highlight the importance of plant-based remedies in modern healthcare. This research can encourage the sustainable use of plants, promote the discovery of natural alternatives in medicine, and support the ongoing conservation of plant species with proven therapeutic properties. The medicinal knowledge included in Dioscorides’ work was shaped in thousands of years of trial-and-error experimentation and its disappearance is an immense loss we need to avoid. 

This blog have been written by Anastasia Tsolaki.