How much can doctors learn from the old remedies used before modern science? Many doctors would say, not much.
Since few records were kept, and scientific studies were not controlled many believe little can be gained from history, but one researcher says otherwise.
Dr. John Riddle, professor of history at North Carolina State and an expert on the historic use of medicines derived from plants, gives several examples of older remedies that have contributed to modern medicine.
St. John’s Wort
This is a popular herbal remedy is now used for depression but back in the day it was used as an antiseptic to treat wounds. Some ancient literature suggests it could cause abortions and a label was put on the box to warn patients.
“No one believes that the pre-modern world could possibly have any insight into science that modern science doesn’t already know,” Riddle said. Learning how a botanical was used in the past could give pharmaceutical chemists important clues about its unforeseen side effects and alternative uses, he says. “Yet I don’t know of any chemists who begin a study with (a review of) the history of a compound.”
Propecia
This product now helps men regrow hair, but it was initially marketed by Merck under the brand name Proscar as a treatment for prostate problems in older men. When the company discovered that it also promoted hair growth in men, it lowered the dosage and began marketing the drug as Propecia.
The Future
Riddle believes researchers and pharmaceutical companies should look into a drugs previous history and learn from the years of exposure and tests that have already been conducted in years past.
“The stories of Propecia and St. John’s wort demonstrate how Western culture has turned its back on ancient medicine,” he said. Riddle says. “Sometimes if we want to move forward we have to look back.”
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