Academia.eduAcademia.edu

Figure 2 – uploaded by Yasmine Sridi

See full PDFdownloadDownload figure
Figure 2: Extraction of plant active ingredients in a liquid solvent (personal diagram) It is good to have the plants, but you still need to be able to have access to the active ingredients! Today, several methods exist to extract all these active molecules from plants: infusion, tincture, tonic wine or medicinal oil. Through these techniques, we observe that the extraction is always done through a solvent, a carrier substance. It is chosen according the physico- chemical affinity with the active ingredient sought: hydrophilic or lipophilic, for example. The vehicle will therefore be aqueous, alcoholic or fatty. However, we realize that — without knowing, or even being aware of the biochemical composition of the plants they used, Egyptian physicians have already experimented with a number of these solvents.° These: vwbinlic na Tinta AS wawmencsianck xrick wes than Flower Dackicewintl mane Pa’ possible to identify many vehicles already known at the time. Water (mw, ‘mw ), << 2 alcohol (wine - irp (re , beer - Ank.t a6), vegetable or animal oil" (mrh.t,

Figure 2 Extraction of plant active ingredients in a liquid solvent (personal diagram) It is good to have the plants, but you still need to be able to have access to the active ingredients! Today, several methods exist to extract all these active molecules from plants: infusion, tincture, tonic wine or medicinal oil. Through these techniques, we observe that the extraction is always done through a solvent, a carrier substance. It is chosen according the physico- chemical affinity with the active ingredient sought: hydrophilic or lipophilic, for example. The vehicle will therefore be aqueous, alcoholic or fatty. However, we realize that — without knowing, or even being aware of the biochemical composition of the plants they used, Egyptian physicians have already experimented with a number of these solvents.° These: vwbinlic na Tinta AS wawmencsianck xrick wes than Flower Dackicewintl mane Pa’ possible to identify many vehicles already known at the time. Water (mw, ‘mw ), << 2 alcohol (wine - irp (re , beer - Ank.t a6), vegetable or animal oil" (mrh.t,

Related Figures (8)

k.t n(y).t h.t : hm.w n(/).w k3k3 r-4, bnr rf (?) 2,5 7, gw r-16, ph.w n(/).w h3sy.t r-16, 83w r-16, hnk.t b3g.t 10 r. sdr(=w) n j3d.t, sh3k(=w), wnm(=w) r hrw 4
k.t n(y).t h.t : hm.w n(/).w k3k3 r-4, bnr rf (?) 2,5 7, gw r-16, ph.w n(/).w h3sy.t r-16, 83w r-16, hnk.t b3g.t 10 r. sdr(=w) n j3d.t, sh3k(=w), wnm(=w) r hrw 4
Figure 3: Scene of plant transformation and ointment making from oily maceration (?) [TT 175, north wall, 2nd register © Photo by Bruno Sandkuhler — Uni-Dia Verlag and © Photo editing by Thierry Benderitter for Osiris.net] even change their biochemical composition at a given temperature.”° It should also be noted that — in addition to heat and the vehicle — certain transformations of plants make it possible to improve the extraction of active ingredients. This is the case, for example, when cutting or grinding drugs; this allows an easier release of the active ingredients that compose it.
Figure 3: Scene of plant transformation and ointment making from oily maceration (?) [TT 175, north wall, 2nd register © Photo by Bruno Sandkuhler — Uni-Dia Verlag and © Photo editing by Thierry Benderitter for Osiris.net] even change their biochemical composition at a given temperature.”° It should also be noted that — in addition to heat and the vehicle — certain transformations of plants make it possible to improve the extraction of active ingredients. This is the case, for example, when cutting or grinding drugs; this allows an easier release of the active ingredients that compose it.
Figure 4: Two men prepare a liquid substance. One mixes or cuts and the other filters. [TT 175 North Wall, 2nd register © Photo by Bruno Sandkuhler — Uni-Dia Verlag]
Figure 4: Two men prepare a liquid substance. One mixes or cuts and the other filters. [TT 175 North Wall, 2nd register © Photo by Bruno Sandkuhler — Uni-Dia Verlag]
Figure 5: Doctor Nebamon giving a remedy, in liquid form, to a Syrian patient and his wife (?) [TT 15 © Drawing by Norman and Nina De Garis Davies, MSS 10.7] After the consideration of the theoretical concepts in the first part and in order to test the skills of Egyptian physicians as “remedy preparers”, it seems useful to resort to archaeological reconstructions. The goal is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the manufacturing processes of the medicinal preparations that have reached us through papyri. The Ebers Papyrus and the remedies explained therein are also the main source of this part. Three extractions are carried out: an aqueous extraction, an alcoholic anc an extraction in a fatty substance.
Figure 5: Doctor Nebamon giving a remedy, in liquid form, to a Syrian patient and his wife (?) [TT 15 © Drawing by Norman and Nina De Garis Davies, MSS 10.7] After the consideration of the theoretical concepts in the first part and in order to test the skills of Egyptian physicians as “remedy preparers”, it seems useful to resort to archaeological reconstructions. The goal is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the manufacturing processes of the medicinal preparations that have reached us through papyri. The Ebers Papyrus and the remedies explained therein are also the main source of this part. Three extractions are carried out: an aqueous extraction, an alcoholic anc an extraction in a fatty substance.
Figure 6: extraction in an aqueous solvent (personal picture) 2. EXTRACTION IN A FATTY SOLVENT
Figure 6: extraction in an aqueous solvent (personal picture) 2. EXTRACTION IN A FATTY SOLVENT
Figure 7: extraction in a fatty solvent (personal picture) As shown here before, the ingredients could be grinded one after the other and mixed to make a thick substance which we can easily smear the skin with. This reconstruction teaches us that the solubility does not play any role in this recipe; in this case, liquids are more of a support for administering galenic than a real solvent in an active ingredients’ extraction.
Figure 7: extraction in a fatty solvent (personal picture) As shown here before, the ingredients could be grinded one after the other and mixed to make a thick substance which we can easily smear the skin with. This reconstruction teaches us that the solubility does not play any role in this recipe; in this case, liquids are more of a support for administering galenic than a real solvent in an active ingredients’ extraction.
Figure 8: extraction in an alcoholic solvent (personal picture) In this recipe, we know the ingredients and the vehicle (sweet beer) we are informed that we are supposed to cook everything together and we also have the posology (drinking the galenic in one single day). Due to all this information, the realisation of this recipe seems somehow to be the easiest o the three chosen experiences:
Figure 8: extraction in an alcoholic solvent (personal picture) In this recipe, we know the ingredients and the vehicle (sweet beer) we are informed that we are supposed to cook everything together and we also have the posology (drinking the galenic in one single day). Due to all this information, the realisation of this recipe seems somehow to be the easiest o the three chosen experiences:
Related topics:
EgyptologyAncient Egyptian HistoryAncient Egyptian Medical TextsArchaeological reconstructionNATURAL REMEDIESancient Egyptian medicineMedicine in Ancient Egypt
580 California St., Suite 400
San Francisco, CA, 94104
© 2025 Academia. All rights reserved