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Lettuce
Published in Michael J. O’Dowd, The History of Medications for Women, 2020
Lactuca virosa (Latin, virosus, meaning ‘poisonous’ and, fetid, ‘the wild variety’), and Lactuca sativa (Latin, sativus, for ‘sown’ or ‘planted’) are the two types of lettuce alluded to by Gerard in his Herball (1636 p. 64): ‘there be of lettuce two sorts, the one wild or of the field and the other tame or of the garden’, and belong to a species of annual or perennial herb, most of which are edible (Hyam and Pankhurst, 1995 p. 271).
Choosing Herbal Treatments
Published in Scott Mendelson, Herbal Treatment of Major Depression, 2019
For completeness sake, the above-mentioned list of herbs recommended by members of the American Herbalist Guild as treatments of MDD also includes herbs for which there can be found no scientific evidence – not even animal data – of antidepressant efficacy. These herbs, none of which were discussed in this text, include: Apple fruit (Malus domestica), artichoke (Cynara scolymus), calendula (Calendula officinalis), cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa), Chaga mushroom (Inonotus Obliquus), Chuan Xin Lian (Andrographis herba), cleavers (Galium aparine), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), damiana (Turnera diffusa), echinacea root (Echinacea angustifolia), elephant head (Pedicularis spp.), evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), Indian pipe (Monotropa uniflora), Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), peach leaf (Amygdalus persica), pine pollen (Tsuga canadensis), prairie mimosa (Desmanthus illinoensis), prickly ash bark (Zanthoxylum americanum), red clover flower (Trifolium pratense), Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum), teasel root (Dipsacus japonica), wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa), willow bark (Salix alba), wood betony (Stachys officinalis), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and yellow dock (Rumex crispus). However, mere “expert opinion” is the lowest level of evidence-based medicine.39 Given the wide range of therapeutic options that are supported by experimental evidence, one should avoid relying upon expert opinion that is otherwise unsubstantiated.
Contributions of Avicenna to surgery and anesthesiology
Published in Acta Chirurgica Belgica, 2020
Avicenna discussed anesthetic agents as well as the diet for patients needing surgery (Table 1). Avicenna cited 43 plants and their blends as mukhaddar (anesthetics) and taskin (pain relieving) before surgery by oral, nasal or rectal route of administration. Papaver somniferum var. album, Mandragora officinarum, Conium maculatum, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, Lactuca virosa, Solanum nigrum, Fumaria officinalis, Vitex agnus-castus, Lolium persicum, Datura metel and Commiphora myrrha are some examples [15,16].