Recreational and medicinal drugs were widely used and traded in the ancient world
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 87/100
Historical and archaeological evidence confirms that a wide variety of medicinal plants and naturally occurring psychoactive substances were actively utilized, cultivated, and traded across ancient civilizations.
Evidence for · 6
Therapeutic Potential of Medicinal Plants and Their Phytoconstituents in Diabetes, Cancer, Infections, Cardiovascular Diseases, Inflammation and Gastrointestinal Disorders
2025 · cited by 80
The paper notes that medicinal plants have been utilized since ancient times across various traditions for treating a wide array of disorders.
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More for · 5
Medicinal Plants and Traditional Uses and Modern Applications
2025 · cited by 32
It discusses how medicinal plants have played a fundamental role in traditional healing systems throughout history.
Natural Antidiabetic Agents: Current Evidence and Development Pathways from Medicinal Plants to Clinical use
2025 · cited by 25
The study highlights that historically, several civilizations utilized traditional medicinal plants for treatment and disease control.
Medicinal Plants and Its Pharmacological Values
2022 · cited by 17
It documents that plants have been used as a source of medicine for thousands of years across Indian, Egyptian, Chinese, Greek, and Roman systems.
Reviving the past for a healthier future: ancient molecules and remedies as a solution to the antibiotic crisis.
2025 · cited by 4
The research explores ancient empirical knowledge of plant remedies and traditional medicines across various ancient cultures worldwide.
The origins and spread of the opium poppy (<i>Papaver somniferum</i> L.) revealed by genomics and seed morphometrics.
2025 · cited by 3
It investigates the prehistoric origins, domestication, and cultivation spread of the opium poppy used for analgesics and psychotropic drugs.