https://phys.org/news/2024-06-chemist-history-female-perfumer-science.html Perfume making dates back at least 3,000 years—to the time of Tapputi-belat-ekalle, who is considered the first chemist in history. What we know about her comes from inscriptions on fragments of clay tablets dating back to the Middle Assyrian period (1400–1000BC). The inscriptions tell us that Tapputi was in charge of “overseeing the palace”…
White horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is an annual or perennial flowering plant in the mint family. It is native to the Mediterranean region and Asia Europe but now has a global distribution. It has a woody, branched taproot and numerous stems from 20 to 100 cm high. The use of white horehound as a folk medicine…
The use of essential oils dates back thousands of years. Queen Cleopatra was reputed to have a vast knowledge of essential oils and their power and to have used rose essential oil to enchant Mark Antony with her beauty. The Greek physician Hippocrates — considered the father of modern medicine — often recommended massage treatments…
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a perennial plant used primarily in cooking and for its aromatic properties which resemble those of Dill and Anise. The seeds of the plant and the oil have been used to relieve various digestive problems including heartburn, intestinal gas, bloating, loss of appetite, and colic in infants. A number of health…
The plant Salvia fruticosa or Greek Sage, grows extensively in Greece and is widely found on Lesvos and it has similar properties to Common or Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) which is also a Mediterranean plant found chiefly in Northwestern Greece, the Western Balkans, Italy, France and Spain. Greek sage can develop woolly galls called “apples”…
Origanum vulgare is native to the Mediterranean region. A related species Origanum onites is also common in Greece and has similar properties. Apart from the well know culinary uses of the dried herb, particularly in the cuisine of Mediterranean countries, oregano also has many rather well-documented medicinal properties. It is considered to be beneficial in…
All plants have the ability to produce substances which confer special effects and these will usually be assigned to various categories such as phenols, alkaloids, fatty acids, terpenes and so on which will then be used to justify claims for particular health benefits So it might be a good idea to look more closely at…
Thymbra capitata or Thymus capitatum is widespread in the mediterranan basin and is readily found on Lesvos. It is very aromatic can be used as an alternative to common thyme in cooking. It has been used to treat cough, throat and lung infections, indigestion, gastritis, diarrhoea, gum disease and wounds and fungal infections. The flowers…
Anise, or aniseed, (pimpinella anisum) is a flowering plant native to the Eastern Mediterranean region which is cultivated primarily for its aromatic seeds which, in Lesvos, are used in the distillation process for the production of ouzo. The region around the village of Lisvori is particularly well-known for its production of high quality aniseed. The…