A study about traditional medical and pharmacological ideas in the Book of the Treasure of Alexander: a case-study, Asarum (Asarum europaeum L.)

Abstract

This paper presents a case study on Asarum as a first step of the project that seeks to verify the traditional medical and pharmacological ideas in the Book of the Treasure of Alexander (9th-10th century CE). To do so, and as a second source, it is adopted the Compilation of Simple Remedies and Foodstuffs by Ibn-Albaytar (13th century CE). In this initial work, besides an anotated and commented translation of the Arabic text on Asarum as it appears in Ibn-Albaytar's work and in several previous and contemporary scholars quotes by him on Asarum, some preliminary observations are made, after a comparison of the data brought by both sourcers, in order to establish a line of transmission of the traditional ideas in the course of time.