Plants of the Amaryllidaceae Family in Roman Veterinary Medicine. Part 1 of Leeks (Allium porrum L.)
Plants of the Amaryllidaceae Family in Roman Veterinary Medicine. Part 1 of Leeks (Allium porrum L.)

Summary/Abstract: In the Mediterranean Basin, leeks were a popular vegetable used in cooking and medicine. Many authors have commented on the dietary properties and medical uses of the plant. Its taste was also appreciated, which is confirmed by the numerous recipes for dishes made with leek. In veterinary medicine, leek was not used very often, but veterinary treatises, prescriptions of medicines containing leek juice or the plant itself appeared in the 4th century. According to the recommendations, it was added, among others, to medicines for animals suffering from respiratory diseases, including various types of cough as well as in cases of swelling, wounds, bleeding, bloody vomiting or problems with urination. The types of diseases treated by veterinarians with the help of leek did not differ from those treated in humans. One of the aspects emphasized by ancient medics was the effectiveness of the plant for treating respiratory diseases, which was indicated by anti-haemorrhagic activity, a positive effect on skin lesions, etc. The method of using the plant by veterinarians and medics coincides with the assessment of its scope of activity at that time. The difference between its use in humans and animals is only visible in dietetics. At the time, people ate leeks often, and in various forms, while animals were only given leeks for medical purposes, as they were not part of the typical, daily diet of farm animals.

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