Encyclopedia/1. The Cosmos & The Natural World/6. Medicine & Human Biology • Curated by Admin Timeline.sg
Traditional healing systems and pharmacognosy encompass ancient medical practices from China, India, and other regions, evolving into modern drug discovery. Key milestones include the Huangdi Neijing, Hua Tuo's anesthesia, Sun Simiao's herbalism, the Charaka Samhita, and Tu Youyou's Nobel-winning artemisinin.
Chronological Storyline (43 Milestones)
2700 BCE
Shennong Bencao Jing Compiled
The Shennong Bencao Jing, one of the earliest Chinese pharmacopoeias, is compiled, listing 365 medicinal substances. It forms the foundation of Chinese herbal medicine. #traditionalmedicine #herbalism
2600 BCE
Imhotep Practiced Medicine in Egypt
Imhotep, an Egyptian polymath, is credited with early medical practices including surgery and herbal remedies. He is later deified as a god of medicine. #ancientmedicine #egypt
Imhotep Practiced Medicine in Egypt By Unknown author - This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. See the Image and Data Resources Open Access Policy, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60939303
1500 BCE
Ebers Papyrus Documents Egyptian Medicine
The Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian medical text, describes over 700 remedies and magical formulas. It provides insight into ancient Egyptian pharmacognosy. #ancientmedicine #egypt
Ebers Papyrus Documents Egyptian Medicine By PEbers_c41.jpg: Einsamer Schütze derivative work: Photohound (talk) - This file was derived from: PEbers c41.jpg:, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18511551
1000 BCE
Atharvaveda Includes Healing Hymns
The Atharvaveda, a sacred Hindu text, contains hymns and incantations for healing diseases, reflecting early Indian medical traditions. #ayurveda #vedas
Atharvaveda Includes Healing Hymns By William Dwight Whitney / Charles Rockwell Lanman - Atharva-Veda Saṁhitā second half, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31497066
600 BCE
Charaka Samhita Composed
The Charaka Samhita, a foundational Ayurvedic text, is compiled by Charaka. It covers internal medicine, diagnosis, and herbal treatments. #ayurveda #charaka
Charaka Samhita Composed By Unknown author - https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/ea/3a/3951eb729fdec6d8916e8d8be07e.jpg Gallery: https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/L0040423.html Wellcome Collection gallery (2018-03-22): https://wellcomecollection.org/works/f2kqft8j CC-BY-4.0, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36096211
500 BCE
Sushruta Samhita Describes Surgery
The Sushruta Samhita, attributed to Sushruta, details surgical procedures and herbal remedies. It is a key Ayurvedic text. #ayurveda #surgery
Sushruta Samhita Describes Surgery By Unknown author - Image: http://collections.lacma.org/sites/default/files/remote_images/piction/ma-31972784-O3.jpg Gallery: http://collections.lacma.org/node/170472 archive copy at the Wayback Machine, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32452002
400 BCE
Hippocratic Corpus Establishes Humoral Theory
The Hippocratic Corpus, attributed to Hippocrates, introduces the humoral theory of medicine and emphasizes natural causes of disease. #hippocrates #ancientmedicine
Hippocratic Corpus Establishes Humoral Theory By Unidentified engraver - 1881 Young Persons' Cyclopedia of Persons and Places Upload by RedWolf 05:45, Jan 10, 2005 (UTC), Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=164808
300 BCE
Theophrastus Writes Historia Plantarum
Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher, writes 'Historia Plantarum,' classifying plants and describing their medicinal uses. #botany #pharmacognosy
Theophrastus Writes Historia Plantarum By Teofrasto_Orto_botanico_PA.jpg: tato grasso derivative work: Singinglemon (talk) - Teofrasto_Orto_botanico_PA.jpg, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5927179
200 BCE
Huangdi Neijing Compiled
The Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) is compiled, becoming the foundational text of traditional Chinese medicine. It covers acupuncture, herbalism, and cosmology. #tcm #huangdineijing
Huangdi Neijing Compiled By Unknown author - [1], Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11662446
100 CE
Zhang Zhongjing Writes Shanghan Lun
Zhang Zhongjing compiles the 'Shanghan Lun' (Treatise on Cold Damage), a classic TCM text on febrile diseases and herbal formulas. #tcm #zhangzhongjing
Zhang Zhongjing Writes Shanghan Lun By Unknown author, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127556257
200 CE
Hua Tuo Uses Anesthesia
Hua Tuo, a Chinese physician, performs surgeries using an anesthetic herbal concoction called mafeisan. He is a pioneer in surgical anesthesia. #hua_tuo #anesthesia
Hua Tuo Uses Anesthesia By Unknown author - http://members.shaw.ca/jiuwan4/HuaTuo.jpg, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1250948
600 CE
Sun Simiao Writes Beiji Qianjin Yaofang
Sun Simiao, the 'King of Medicine,' compiles 'Beiji Qianjin Yaofang' (Emergency Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold), a comprehensive TCM text. #sun_simiao #tcm
Sun Simiao Writes Beiji Qianjin Yaofang By Gan Bozong (Tang period, 618-907) - https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/f7/9e/94a41d43ae53679850a89cc8e340.jpg (hi-res image) Gallery: https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/L0039324.html Wellcome Collection gallery (2018-03-28): https://wellcomecollection.org/works/v4exceyg CC-BY-4.0, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33926776
659 CE
Tang Bencao Published
The 'Tang Bencao' (Newly Revised Materia Medica) is published as the first official pharmacopoeia in China, containing 850 drugs. #tcm #pharmacopoeia
800 CE
Jabir ibn Hayyan Develops Alchemical Processes
Jabir ibn Hayyan, a Persian alchemist, develops distillation and crystallization techniques that influence later pharmacognosy. #alchemy #islamicgoldenage
Jabir ibn Hayyan Develops Alchemical Processes By Unknown author - https://cdn.britannica.com/10/132710-050-CECF006B/illustration-manuscript-Abu-Musa-Jabir-ibn-Hayyan.jpg, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=166835469
1025 CE
Avicenna Writes The Canon of Medicine
Avicenna (Ibn Sina) publishes 'The Canon of Medicine,' a comprehensive medical encyclopedia that integrates Greek and Islamic medicine. #avicenna #medicine
Avicenna Writes The Canon of Medicine By Coffeetalkh - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11906621
1100 CE
Trotula of Salerno Writes on Women's Health
Trotula, a female physician in Salerno, writes texts on gynecology and herbal remedies, contributing to medieval European medicine. #trotula #medievalmedicine
Trotula of Salerno Writes on Women's Health By Miscellanea medica XVIII - Wellcome Collection, London. Gallery: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ka9yjtq7/items?canvas=87 Full Bibliographic Record: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ka9yjtq7, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31154428
1240 CE
Ibn al-Baitar Writes Compendium on Simple Medicaments
Ibn al-Baitar, an Andalusian botanist, compiles 'Kitab al-Jami' li-Mufradat al-Adwiya wa al-Aghdhiya,' a comprehensive pharmacopoeia. #islamicmedicine #botany
Ibn al-Baitar Writes Compendium on Simple Medicaments By Keke999 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4933140
1493 CE
Nicolás Monardes Studies New World Plants
Nicolás Monardes, a Spanish physician, studies medicinal plants from the Americas, introducing them to Europe. #pharmacognosy #new_world
Nicolás Monardes Studies New World Plants By Scan par Valérie75, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20259
1546 CE
Paracelsus Introduces Chemical Remedies
Paracelsus, a Swiss physician, advocates for the use of chemical substances in medicine, challenging traditional herbalism. #paracelsus #iatrochemistry
Paracelsus Introduces Chemical Remedies By Unknown author - https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/30/44/56ec07dc7139fa8474a939e67261.jpg Gallery: https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/V0004455.html Wellcome Collection gallery (2018-03-23): https://wellcomecollection.org/works/x7zn552n CC-BY-4.0, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36412798
1578 CE
Li Shizhen Publishes Bencao Gangmu
Li Shizhen completes the 'Bencao Gangmu' (Compendium of Materia Medica), cataloging 1,892 substances. It remains a cornerstone of TCM. #tcm #lishizhen
Li Shizhen Publishes Bencao Gangmu By Unknown author - http://huntbot.andrew.cmu.edu/hibd/departments/Library/ChineseHerbal.shtml, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19570678
1618 CE
John Parkinson Publishes Theatrum Botanicum
John Parkinson, an English botanist, publishes 'Theatrum Botanicum,' a comprehensive herbal describing over 3,800 plants. #herbalism #botany )
John Parkinson Publishes Theatrum Botanicum By Unknown author - From Parkinson, John (1640). Theatrum Botanicum : The Theater of Plants. Or, An Herball of a Large Extent, Containing therein a More Ample and Exact History and Declaration of the Physicall Herbs and Plants that are in Other Authours, Encreased by the Accesse of Many Hundreds of New, Rare, and Strange Plants from All the Parts of the World, with Sundry Gummes, and Other Physicall Materials, than hath beene hitherto Published by Any before; and a Most Large Demonstration of their Natures and Vertues. Shevving vvithall the Many Errors, Differences, and Oversights of Sundry Authors that have Formerly Written of Them; and a Certaine Confidence, or most Probable Conjecture of the True and Genuine Herbes and Plants. Distributed into Sundry Classes or Tribes, for the More Easie Knowledge of the Many Herbes of One Nature and Property, with the Chiefe Notes of Dr. Lobel, Dr. Bonham, and Others Inserted therein. Collected by the Many Years Travaile, Industry, and Experience in this Subject, by Iohn Parkinson Apothecary of London, and the Kings Herbalist. And Published by the Kings Majestyes Especiall Priviledge. London: Thomas Cotes. Reprinted in Agnes Arber (1912). Herbals : Their Origin and Evolution : A Chapter in the History of Botany, 1470–1670. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press., Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=600790
1653 CE
Nicholas Culpeper Publishes The English Physician
Nicholas Culpeper publishes 'The English Physician,' a popular herbal that makes medical knowledge accessible to the public. #herbalism #culpeper
Nicholas Culpeper Publishes The English Physician By Richard Gaywood - British Museum [1], Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14674287
1803 CE
Friedrich Sertürner Isolates Morphine
Friedrich Sertürner isolates morphine from opium poppy, marking the first isolation of an active alkaloid from a plant. #pharmacognosy #alkaloid
Friedrich Sertürner Isolates Morphine By Julius Giere - Scan from "Paderborn - Geschichte der Stadt in ihrer Region. Band 2. Die frühe Neuzeit: gesellschaftliche Stabilität und politischer Wandel", p. 402, Verlag Ferdinand Schöningh, Paderborn 1999, ISBN 3506731211, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1456652
1820 CE
Joseph Caventou and Joseph Pelletier Isolate Quinine
French chemists Caventou and Pelletier isolate quinine from cinchona bark, a breakthrough in treating malaria. #quinine #pharmacognosy
Joseph Caventou and Joseph Pelletier Isolate Quinine By CYL - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15932972
1853 CE
Charles Gerhardt Synthesizes Aspirin
Charles Gerhardt first synthesizes acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) from salicin, derived from willow bark. #aspirin #pharmacology
Charles Gerhardt Synthesizes Aspirin By Oxetane lacx - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=184709189
1897 CE
Felix Hoffmann Develops Heroin
Felix Hoffmann, a Bayer chemist, synthesizes heroin (diacetylmorphine) from morphine, initially marketed as a cough suppressant. #heroin #pharmacology
Felix Hoffmann Develops Heroin By Fuse809 (talk) - Own work, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32227821
1928 CE
Alexander Fleming Discovers Penicillin
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin from the mold Penicillium notatum, revolutionizing antibiotic therapy. #penicillin #antibiotics
Alexander Fleming Discovers Penicillin By Official photographer - http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//32/media-32192/large.jpg This photograph TR 1468 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums., Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24436974
1942 CE
Howard Florey and Ernst Chain Mass-Produce Penicillin
Howard Florey and Ernst Chain develop methods for mass-producing penicillin, making it widely available during WWII. #penicillin #wwii
Howard Florey and Ernst Chain Mass-Produce Penicillin By Julian Smith - https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=119635410
1952 CE
WHO Establishes Traditional Medicine Programme
The World Health Organization establishes a programme to integrate traditional medicine into global health systems. #who #traditionalmedicine
WHO Establishes Traditional Medicine Programme By Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France - World Health Organization @ Pregny-Chambésy, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105949300
1971 CE
Tu Youyou Discovers Artemisinin
Tu Youyou extracts artemisinin from Artemisia annua, a breakthrough in malaria treatment. She later wins the Nobel Prize. #artemisinin #malaria
Tu Youyou Discovers Artemisinin By Bengt Nyman from Vaxholm, Sweden - 810_4987 Tu Youyou, medicine, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123803054
1978 CE
Alma Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care
The Alma Ata Declaration emphasizes the role of traditional medicine in primary health care globally. #primaryhealthcare #traditionalmedicine
1985 CE
FDA Approves Taxol from Pacific Yew
The FDA approves paclitaxel (Taxol), a chemotherapy drug derived from the Pacific yew tree, discovered through pharmacognosy. #taxol #cancer
FDA Approves Taxol from Pacific Yew By Calvero. - Selfmade with ChemDraw., Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1703615
1991 CE
WHO Publishes Guidelines for the Assessment of Herbal Medicines
The WHO publishes guidelines for the assessment of herbal medicines to ensure safety and efficacy. #who #herbalmedicine
WHO Publishes Guidelines for the Assessment of Herbal Medicines By Øyvind Holmstad - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21722365
1998 CE
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Founded
The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is established to research alternative medicine. #nccih #complementarymedicine
2000 CE
Human Genome Project Completed
The Human Genome Project is completed, enabling pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine based on genetic variation. #genomics #personalizedmedicine
Human Genome Project Completed By U.S. Department of Energy, Human Genome Project - http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2485616
2002 CE
WHO Launches Traditional Medicine Strategy
The WHO launches its first Traditional Medicine Strategy to promote safe and effective use of traditional medicine. #who #traditionalmedicine
2004 CE
FDA Approves First Botanical Drug: Veregen
The FDA approves Veregen (sinecatechins), a green tea extract ointment for genital warts, as the first botanical drug. #fda #botanicaldrug
FDA Approves First Botanical Drug: Veregen By Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen - List of Koehler Images, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=255290
2006 CE
Artemisinin Combination Therapy Recommended by WHO
The WHO recommends artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as first-line treatment for malaria. #artemisinin #malaria
Artemisinin Combination Therapy Recommended by WHO By Our World In Data - https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-of-children-with-a-fever-receiving-antimalarial-drugs, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=183639672
2010 CE
Chinese Medicine and Malaria: Tu Youyou Wins Lasker Award
Tu Youyou receives the Lasker Award for her discovery of artemisinin, highlighting the value of traditional Chinese medicine. #tu_youyou #lasker
2015 CE
Tu Youyou Wins Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Tu Youyou is awarded the Nobel Prize for her discovery of artemisinin, the first Chinese Nobel in medicine. #nobelprize #artemisinin
2019 CE
WHO Adds Traditional Medicine to ICD-11
The WHO includes traditional medicine conditions in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) for the first time. #who #icd11
2020 CE
COVID-19 Prompts Research into Traditional Remedies
The COVID-19 pandemic spurs research into traditional remedies like TCM and Ayurveda for potential treatments. #covid19 #traditionalmedicine
COVID-19 Prompts Research into Traditional Remedies By Gustavo Basso - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gustavocb/49913440386, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112916636
2022 CE
WHO Global Report on Traditional and Complementary Medicine
The WHO publishes a global report on traditional and complementary medicine, highlighting its integration into health systems. #who #traditionalmedicine
