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A mandrake is the root of a plant, historically derived either from plants of the genus Mandragora (in the family Solanaceae) found in the Mediterranean region, or from other species, such as Bryonia alba (the English mandrake, in the family Cucurbitaceae) or the American mandrake (Podophyllum peltatum in the family Berberidaceae) which have ...
Mandrake, genus of six species of hallucinogenic plants in the nightshade family native to the Mediterranean region and the Himalayas. The plants are particularly noted for their potent roots, which somewhat resemble the human form and have a long history of use in religious and superstitious practices.
Jan 12, 2016 · But its powers are not only mythical: a member of the nightshade plant family, mandrake contains hallucinogenic and narcotic alkaloids. Dioscurides, a first-century Greek physician, tells us that...
Mandragora officinarum is the type species of the plant genus Mandragora in the nightshade family Solanaceae. [2] It is often known as mandrake, although this name is also used for other plants. As of 2015, sources differed significantly in the species they use for Mandragora plants native to the Mediterranean region.
Jul 13, 2015 · The mandrake is just one of 2,500 species belonging to the Solanaceae family, which also contains tomatoes, potatoes, chillies, aubergines, peppers, tobacco, deadly nightshade and henbane - they...
Dec 4, 2021 · Mandrake (Mandragora spp.) is one of the most famous medicinal plant in western cultures since Biblical times and throughout written history.
Mandrake, a plant with a long and fascinating history, has captured the imagination of many cultures for centuries. Mandrake is also known as Manroot. The root of the mandrake plant is particularly notable for its resemblance to the human form and its use in various religious and superstitious practices.
Mandrake’s legendary history and mythology is found among middle-eastern cuneiform writings dating back to the fourteenth century B.C. References to mandrake are also found in early Mesopotamian, Greek, Old Hebrew, Roman, Egyptian, Arabic, and other texts.
The one or two species found around the Mediterranean constitute the mandrake of ancient writers such as Dioscorides. Two or three further species are found eastwards into China. All are perennial herbaceous plants, with large tap roots and leaves in the form of a rosette.
Jan 1, 2002 · Mandrake was used by the ancient Assyrians in two main medical contexts: as an analgesic and an anesthetic. More specifically, mandrake was commonly used as a treatment for toothaches, childbirth complications, hemorrhoids, and stomach ailments. This latter use involved adding powdered root to beer (Ratsch 1998, 353).
