Medicines Used in the Treatment of Headaches According to Old Anatolian Turkish Medical Texts

Abstract

Throughout history, humans have utilized plants for both nutrition and health purposes. In this context, medicinal plants have played a significant role in treating and preventing diseases. Medicinal plants refer to those used for pharmaceutical purposes and employed in the production of medicines. The parts of these plants used in medicine are called herbal drugs. These drugs serve as raw materials for plant-based medicines and are widely used in both traditional and modern medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines herbal medicines as finished and labeled products or preparations containing herbal drugs, intended to prevent or treat diseases. Medicinal plants have been used to treat various ailments in numerous civilizations, from the Sumerians to the ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilizations, as well as the Greco-Roman world and the Islamic geography. Among these ailments, headaches were commonly treated with plants. For instance, the medical work Edviye-i Müfrede discusses several plants used in the treatment of headaches. In the text, the following plants are generally used to alleviate and treat headaches: anīsūn, bābādya, benefşe, ġārīkūn, kişnīc, ḳoruḳ, marūl toḫmı, nīlūfer, oġlan aşı, ṣabr, ṣandal, ṭaṭranbū. For headaches caused by cold weather, more specific herbal remedies were preferred. The plants and substances used for this type of headache include: ḫıyārşenber, ḳaṭrān, ḳızıl gül, ḳunduz ṭaşaġı, mahmude. This study focuses on the causes of headaches as discussed in ancient medical texts and the plants used in their treatment. The analysis includes the plants’ definitions, botanical characteristics, and origins to provide a comprehensive overview.