Nature's Medicines Chapter Notes | Communicative English for Class 10 PDF Download

Key Points of the Story

• The plant world is full of chemicals that can help us with medicine.
• About half of the medicines we use today come from plants, and many more are waiting to be discovered.
• Ancient Egyptians were among the first to learn how to use plants for their healing properties, as shown in old manuscripts.
• Hippocrates, who is known as the father of medicine, recommended plants like garlic and poppy for their health benefits.
• Dioscorides wrote an important book on medicinal plants in ancient Greece, which helped people understand plant medicine better.
• Trade with other countries introduced new plants for medicine to the Western world, expanding our knowledge and use of herbs.
• During the Middle Ages, people believed in magic and superstition when using plants for medicine, but this changed with the Renaissance.
• In the late 1700s, scientists began to isolate specific chemicals from plants, leading to the creation of medicines.
• Salicin, a compound from willow bark, was discovered, which eventually led to the development of aspirin.
• Aspirin became a popular and important medicine after being patented by Bayer in 1899.
• Since the 1930s, scientists have learned to recreate plant chemicals, but the original plants remain important for medicine.
• Herbal medicine has not been fully explored, and plants continue to play a vital role in treating diseases.

Detailed Summary

Plants are vital sources of chemical substances that aid in healing and wellness, with nearly half of modern medicines derived from them. Various plant parts, such as leaves and roots, possess unique properties that promote health. While many medicinal plants are already recognized, research continues to uncover new ones. Historically, ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians, documented their use of plants for healing on papyrus scrolls about 2000 years before Christ, employing them in perfumes and ceremonial oils.

In ancient Greece, around 400 to 500 years before Christ, Hippocrates, a pioneering physician, began advocating for the therapeutic use of plants such as asparagus and garlic for swelling and water retention, and poppies for sleep. Dioscorides later compiled extensive plant knowledge, leading to widespread translations of his work.

As global trade expanded, particularly between Africa and Asia, Western societies discovered new medicinal plants, including camphor, ginger, and turmeric. Initially, the use of these plants was grounded in myths rather than scientific understanding. During the Middle Ages, the blending of magic with herbal medicine prevailed until the Renaissance period, when scientific inquiry into plants flourished. This era saw the collection of local plants and the development of teas and ointments still used in traditional medicine.

The late 1700s marked a turning point in plant-derived medicine with chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele isolating substances like tartaric acid from grapes and citric acid from lemons. This laid the groundwork for extracting pure compounds. For instance, morphine was extracted from opium poppy in 1803, and caffeine from coffee beans in 1819, followed by crucial discoveries of quinine from cinchona bark and atropine from deadly nightshade.

Particularly noteworthy was the study of the willow tree's bark, believed to relieve pain. In 1828, Johann Buchner isolated salicin from willow bark. By 1838, Raffaele Piria had extracted salicylic acid, but these early forms induced sickness. In 1853, Charles Frederic Gerhardt created a modified salicylic acid, leading to Felix Hoffman's rediscovery of this compound while working for Bayer. Hoffman's findings helped alleviate his father's arthritis, prompting Bayer to market this compound as aspirin in 1899, which remains a widely used pain relief medication, with annual sales of around 12,000 tons.

Since the 1930s, advancements in chemistry have facilitated the replication of plant healing compounds, yet plants retain their significance in medicine. Despite the ability to modify compounds for efficacy and reduced side effects, original plants are essential for treating various diseases, including cancer, heart conditions, and malaria. The exploration of herbal medicine continues, revealing much more about the healing potential of plants.

Theme/ Message

• The main theme of this chapter is the importance of plants in medicine throughout history.
• It shows how humans have learned from nature to find ways to heal themselves using plants.
• The message emphasizes the ongoing search for new medicines derived from plants, which could potentially help treat various diseases.
• It also highlights the transition from magical beliefs about plants to scientific understanding and the development of drugs.
• Furthermore, the chapter conveys that while modern chemistry can create medications, the original plant sources are still vital for healing.

Difficult Words

• Compounds: Substances made of two or more elements or ingredients combined together.
• Medicinal: Related to the treatment of illness or injury, often referring to plants that can help heal.
• Superstition: A belief in magic or supernatural forces, often without scientific reasoning.
• Isolation: The process of separating a specific substance from a mixture to study or use it.
• Embalming: A process used to preserve a body after death, often involving the use of chemicals.
• Diuretic: A substance that increases the production of urine, helping to remove excess water from the body.
• Acid: A sour-tasting substance that can react with bases and is often found in fruits and plants.
• Chemist: A scientist who studies the properties and changes of substances, especially in terms of chemical reactions.
• Extract: A concentrated form of a substance taken from a plant or other source.
• Synthesised: The process of creating a substance artificially in a laboratory rather than extracting it from nature.
• Pharmacist: A professional who prepares and dispenses medications and provides advice on their use.
• Empirical: Based on observation and experience rather than theory or pure logic.
• Herbal: Relating to or made from herbs, often used in medicine.
• Toxic: Poisonous or harmful to living things.
• Beneficial: Something that is helpful or good for someone or something.