Abstract
Some evidence of the existence of an ancient pharmacological theory—the Doctrine of Signatures—has been found in the folk medicine of Israel. The research reported 14 plants with folk medicinal uses based on the Doctrine of Signatures categories including: similarity of the plant or plant organ to the damaged human organ (Alhagi maurorum, camel thorn;Astragalus macrocarpus, milk-vetch; andCynoglossum creticum, blue hound’s tongue), similarity to animal shape or behavior (Heliotropium europaeum, European turnsole;Asteriscus spinosus, starwort; andBriza maxima, large quaking grass), similarity of plant color to the color of the disease’s symptoms or the medical phenomena (Rhamnus alaternus, Italian buckthorn;Citrullus colocynthis, bitter gourd; andEcballium elaterium, squirting cucumber), and similarity of plant habitat or characteristic to human features (Parietaria judaica, wall pellitory; andRuta chalepensis, African rue).
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Dafni, A., Lev, E. The doctrine of signatures in present-day Israel. Econ Bot 56, 328–334 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1663/0013-0001(2002)056[0328:TDOSIP]2.0.CO;2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1663/0013-0001(2002)056[0328:TDOSIP]2.0.CO;2