A Short History of Medicinal Plant Use in Central Asia

Abstract

Central Asia is a synthesis of many nations and many cultures. There is a long history of using and documenting medicinal plants in this region. Great contributions to the knowledge of medicinal plants were made by the Greeks as early as the seventh century BCE. In the sixth century BCE, Central Asia was part of the Persian Empire founded by Cyrus (Bobokhanova and Bekturgunava 1996). In the first half of the fourth century BCE, Alexander the Great helped expand the Greek empire into the regions of Bactria and Sogdiana (territories that included much of present-day Central Asia) and formed the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. It is known that Chinese travelers visited Central Asia and surrounding regions since the establishment of the Great Silk Road. China has a long history of herbal medicine and undoubtedly had a great influence on the development of Central Asian herbology. The Zoroastrian holy book, the Avesta, written over a long period (the nineth century BCE – third century CE), is a valuable source of information about the social structure, medicine, and way of life in the ancient societies of Central Asia, Iran, and Azerbaijan. The book includes information concerning all aspects of life, including natural philosophies and medical views. In the Avesta, medicine is described as the art of keeping the body in health. There were several kinds of treatments: (1) surgery, (2) treatment with herbs, and (3) treatment with words. This source was expanded by other researchers and physicians up to the eighth century and by that time, contained information on 1,000 plants. The Avesta contains information about useful and unhealthy plants, herbs that were used as sedatives, anesthetics, narcotics, restoratives, tonics, antiseptics, antidotes, and as other types of remedies. In the fifth and sixth centuries CE a large Turkic kaganate was developed as result of the unification of diverse nomadic tribes. In the seventh century Arabs brought Islam to Central Asia and during this time the knowledge and science of medicinal plants grew greatly. In 1220 CE the Mongols, led by Genghis Kahn, invaded Central Asia and there is no doubt that this invasion had an influence on the culture of the local population.