Use of Natural Compounds as Substitutive Antimicrobial Agents: History of Medicine and Efficiency of Natural Compounds

Introduction and Literature ReviewLife is short, the Art long-Hippocrates

The immense length of medical history is a very wide landscape filled with deep valleys and sky-high peaks. The ingenuity, diligence and resourcefulness of man throughout the struggles of diseases are impressive. What a modern physician may hope to master relative to the entire medical knowledge of the entire human history is comparatively infinitesimal.The modern man sadly tends to fall into his egoistic condescension, putting into mind that he has the best of the worlds, belittling the medical and pharmaceutical achievements of the past. Actually, it is a wise thing to go back and seek them out with an open mind.Drawbacks of modern medicine are steadily becoming apparent, increasing the need for innovative solutions. Past civilizations, having a profound way of seeing Life may also hold the solution in the neo-medical problems that modern medicine is facing.With all the exceptional accomplishment of modern medicine, it is not without failures and shortcomings. Many of the modern medical methods are invasive and unnatural, suppressing and superseding the natural and resilient defense mechanism of an organism. As a result, it only compromises the overall vitality of the bodily system in the long run. This is working against Nature, a powerful force that governs everything, working with it is what Hippocrates has learnt to achieve.Figure 1 Painting depicting Medical practice in Ancient Egypt. The woman here feeds antimicrobial compounds to a man with an existing endo-necrosis.

Many synthetic pharmaceutical drugs have negative side-effects, no matter how properly it is administered or prescribed. This is because they are not metabolized in a natural and equal way by the organism. Many pathogenic microbes have learnt how to cope up and survive the offensive mechanisms of the antibiotics, which was once hailed as the wonder-drug of modern medicine. Antibiotics, from the Greek word anti meaning against and bios meaning life are compounds that have the ability to destroy, slow down, or at times, inhibit the growth of bacteria. In the modern society, antibiotics are widely-used to treat benign and terminal infections.

Diseases such as Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Tubercolosis and Necrosis are just a few examples in which antibiotics can greatly help. However, due to continuous use of these antimicrobial compounds, some bacteria that are resistant have also emerged. This is made possible by the doctors who dutifully prescribe antibiotics during under-necessary situations.

Mankind, due to the fear of the unknown, diligently adheres and takes in the pill. Unknowingly, taking these bactericidal has two adverse effects. One is obliterating the bacteria, and the second, is leaving behind strong strains. The earlier sounds like a bone plucked from the throat, but the latter occurs when man, thinking he is cured after a couple of dosages, stops taking the entire prescription. Doing this kills the weaker strains of the pathogen, but leaves behind stronger, more resistant strains. When the strong strains survive, they can easily re-propagate.; non-resistant bacterial microflora may even mutate when the resistant information is passed to them through conjugation or bacterial sex. Therefore; a more vigorous and enduring infection occurs. As this cascade of event turns into a cycle, man becomes solely dependent on antibiotics. Unfortunately, this is a widespread and sadly, a global idiosyncrasy. Many natural remedies and treatments are much gentler and do not incorporate many of these drawbacks, therefore making them generally safer. Figure 2 An early century painting of Razi, an Arabic Alchemist and physician, treating a patient with an eye infection.

The use of antibiotics stretches all the way back to the dawn of ancient times. The Greeks, Chinese and Egyptians even used to apply molds on wounds to let them heal and prevent further cellular necrosis. However, these ancient civilizations have not fully understood the mechanism or the principle on how these molds worked. Ancient Greeks have also found out, that many plants, particularly herbs, help in treating wounds.Medicines that we widely use today evolved from the ancient studies of the Egyptians, Greeks, Roman, Arabs and all other early civilizations that flourished.Figure 3 A classical painting depicting Greece with their knowledge of Medicine. Here, a physician tends to battle wounds of a Hoplite, an ancient Greek warrior.

Ancient EgyptiansThe Greeks, known for their great contributions in the field of medicine did not actually discover the medical system, as contrast to popular belief; rather, they had an enormous collection of pre-existing medical lore and knowledge to work on. Their singular genius lay upon their abilities and skills in refining and augmenting all of the medical knowledge into a new system and synthesis. Many medical historians now agree that the main source and reservoir of medical knowledge roots back to Egypt, whose civilization was already old and well-established during the dawn of the Golden Age of classical Greece.Many dispute that the Greeks were enlightened in Medical knowledge through the Minoan civilization in Crete, which was a border country between Egypt and Greece. However, two individuals stand-out in this regard; Pythagoras--in which Mathematicians attributes the use of the Pythagorean Theorem--and Thales. Pythagoras was known to travel widely. Aside from being a Mathematician, he had extensive backgrounds in Medical Sciences. Thales on the same note studied Medicine right at the heart of Egypt.Figure 4 Egyptian Hieroglyphs of Medical Practice.

As with the Greeks, the origins of Ancient Egyptian Medicine confided in pure religion and spirituality. The Egyptian god of medicine, Imhotep, was analogous to Asclepius of the Greeks. Asclepius was depicted as the rod with a snake coiling around it. However, it must not be confused with Caduceus (later on the Greek Medicine). Prayers, supplications, offerings and meditation were made to Imhotep and other gods in the matter of health and diseases. However, despite the religious provenance, Egyptian medicine was mostly rational and scientific.

Figure 5 Imhotep, the Egyptian God of Medicine

In the ancient Egyptian Medicine, blood was considered as a substantial nutritive and regulatory substance. It was considered as the water that carried the life of an individual. It was important for the Egyptians that blood should be clean and cleansed, as it is circulated in our body. They believed that when blood is pure, it carries the life force of the individual to its greatest potential, which is proven true. Clean blood and healthy circulation is equal to a healthy individual, enabling him to achieve many things. Hence, even circulation was widely recognized. As in this case, the opposite for blood being clean also plays its role on the Egyptian Medical knowledge. As blood was known to have been the carrier of the life force, a dead person must be drained of it, to avoid the blood being corrupted --in modern medical terms, denatured--, because the corruption of blood regarded that the soul will be or has been corrupted as well. In Egyptian lore, a soul is weighed on the scale of Maat against the Feather of Truth. If the soul of the person is lighter than the feather, he is allowed passage to the afterlife; if not, he will perish, being eaten by Ammut. Hence, Egyptians had made sure that when a person has died, the blood must be drained. Hence, this is where the modern Embalming traces its roots.Figure 6 A painting showing the ancient Egyptian embalmers gutting out the cadaver, removing the internal organs that easily decomposes inside the body.

The ancient Egyptians practiced the art of embalming and preservation in order to clean the body of the deceased and prepare it for the afterlife. The outcome of embalming is the well-known Mummification. The Egyptian God of Embalming and Mummification was Anubis. The embalming, or as the Egyptians once called it, Purification starts off with bath. Bathing the body not only adheres to religious belief of purifying the vessel of the soul, scientifically, it is a means of sanitizing and toning the body of the deceased. Figure 7 Hieroglyph of the Judgement. The scale of Maat with the Feather of Truth on the one side and the heart of the deceased on the other. Ammut, the devourer, waits to consume a corrupted soul.

Next, the body is shaved off all the hairs. In Egyptian belief, hair was considered as an impurity for men, so most of the men were shaved clean in all the parts of their body. After a full shave, the body is once again purified with water. Once the body has been thoroughly purified, the blood is drained out. This is done by puncturing the carotid artery or the jugular with a sharp wooden stake, slitting-open the wrist with a sharpened wooden knife and letting the blood flow freely. After the blood had stopped flowing, the embalmer pumps-in clean water into the aorta. As the water fills the cardiovascular system, pressure builds up and the heart is seemingly brought back to mechanism, however, instead of blood, it pumps clean water through the left ventricle, distributing the water all throughout the body. The embalmers then locate the superior and inferior vena cava, wherein blood was supposed to drain into. From thereon, they make another incision and drain out the water. Figure 8 Anubis, the God of Death and Embalming.

After the draining of the blood, the embalmers proceeded in the removal of the organs. The brain is firstly removed by inserting a twisted and bent metallic rod through the nasal vestibule, further into the nasal cavity and finally, breaking the thin cartilages separating the nose and the cranium. The brain is then vigorously scrambled, to breakdown the structure into a softer and mucosal form. As the rod is pulled back, the brain freely flows out from the nose. The nasal vestibule is then pumped with water in order for the skull to be washed. Then, the eye balls are taken and replaced with eye lids or eyeballs crafted-out from pure gold. Lastly, the liver, the spleen, the digestive tract, the stomach and everything inside the gut is removed by small incisions, which is covered by golden plates afterwards. The thoracic cavity is thoroughly washed with clean water. In replacement for the organs, amulets are placed accordingly to help the deceased in his journey through the afterlife. The body is once again, and for the final time, bathed. The embalmer then pours Natron Salts all over the body, and into the cavities, including the nose and the mouth. The salt was used to dehydrate the body and avoid decomposition, as a result, further preserving the body afterwards. Figure 9 Anubis helping the Embalmer in the purification process. Here, Natron Salts are poured to helpin preservation.

The body is then generously enveloped in thin linen and placed inside a Sarcophagus. The sarcophagus acts as the coffin and the lid is remarkably heavy, therefore preventing air to flow in or out. This prevents oxidation of the body and rapid decomposition. With this ritual, the bodies of the Ancient Egyptians are extraordinarily preserved for over thousands of years. One of Ancient Egypts great medical contributions was the use of herbs as natural remedies for various illnesses. Antimicrobial compounds were discovered during the Egyptian Age, wherein wounds from battles where treated by boiling herbs such as Oregano, Mint, Sage and Ephedra to extract the alkaloids and use it either as a topical treatment for infections or pain, or taken orally as an antidote.Figure 10 A first-hand picture of an Egyptian Sarcophagus taken in a museum.

The Egyptians wrote many medical papyri, wherein they incorporate their procedures and recipes attributed to Imhotep, the God and founder of their medical system. Most of the papyri describes the effects of various drugs, along with the classification and systematization of various diseases and illnesses, how to detect them through their symptoms and their cure. Figure 11 One of the final phases of the Mummification process. The body is wrapped with a linen cloth from head to toe.

As cleanliness was akin to purity, Ancient Egyptians performed immaculate hygiene care. They bathed twice or thrice a day and embrocated themselves with perfumes, medicated and essential oils.

Water was filtered using cloth and boiled for sterilization before it was allowed to be drunk. Pork was forbidden to be consumed as it was deemed and proven unclean, no matter how much it was cooked or boiled; the fat was too thick to be properly cooked. In modern times, it is proven that pork is unsafe and unhygienic to be a part of the human diet. The swine consumes practically anything; from food, to rotted flesh and produce, to their young and to garbage. The pathogenic microbes get deposited on the lipids on their tissues. For similar hygienic reasons, Egyptian women never engaged in sexual intercourse during their period of menstruation.Figure 12 Ebers Papyrus; A well-known medical papyrii that contains recipes of drugs, advises and other medical knowledge.

Figure 13 First-hand pictures of Egyptian artifacts; Left, A tablet depicting a Pharaoh consulting a physician regarding his disease. Right, the mummified body of an Egyptian, wrapped in linen cloth.

Last, but most importantly, specialists were delegated and thrived for just every field of medical practice, a very well known practice for modern physicians. Each part of the human body and each disease and illnesses had its own specialist who attended to it.

Ancient Greeks and RomansAmongst all the pre-Hippocratic advocates, Pythagoras stands-out from the crowd. He was uttermost fabled and legendary. He had a life which was provender of legends, myth and miracles.As a Mathematical virtuoso, Pythagoras believed in the harmony and rhythm of numbers. Discovering that whole numbers worked on a musical scale and intervals, he deduced their healing effects on the organism. This resulted in his named being customarily invoked by musical therapist.Pythagoras was a seminal thinker; however, his life has been shrouded in a veil of mysteries. This makes it arduous to say with any degree of certainty exactly which concepts and principles of medicines are attributed to him. Many assume that the concept of the critical days and the basic notion of the humors may have rooted back to him. He adhered to a very strict diet and health regimen, many ways being a vegetarian. He believed that consumption of meat impaired ones judgment and advised judges to abstain from eating meat before undertaking important cases. Scientifically proven, excessive consumption of meat may increase an individuals cholesterol level. As the cholesterol level rises, the blood vessels constrict due to thrombosis or arterial embolism, and causes ischemia (lack of blood flow). The oxygen being carried to the brain slowly depletes, therefore, causing a series of delusional attacks or even a cerebrovascular attack (CVA). The Four-Elements theory is attributed Empedocles. According to his theory, everything in the universe, including the human body is composed and governed by Earth, Water, Wind and Fire in varying proportions. This has become the basic foundation of Alchemy, wherein all matter is made out of the four elements of nature, whether by material or the process employed to create it. A modern example would be materials, i.e Metal pipes; Metal deposits coming from Earth, molding it using Fire, letting it cool by using Water and letting it oxidize by Air. Another is the modern vehicle; the materials are made of metal, which is an Earth material, the gasoline represents Water, the combustion in the engine that allows the vehicle to run represents Fire and lastly, the smoke emitted represents Air. With an open mind, one can think of numerous examples and perhaps, all things are governed by these forces. The theory of synthesis (anabolism) against analysis (catabolism) is also attributed to him. The physicians job was to assess to which aspect within him predominated, and then bring it back to balance.Figure 14 Pythagoras

Another Four-Element theorist was Thales, who postulated the theory of biogenesis. His theory was that everything existing at present had come from something. He tried to ponder and figure-out what was the original source element of all life. After some contemplation, he came into conclusion that it was Water. This is actually not just a mere and wild speculation; biologists now have evidence and agree that all biochemical reactions must take place in water and that life evolved out from the primordial ocean. The beginning of life according to scientist started out with unicellular microorganisms, or prokaryotes. These microorganisms began their life at the bottom of the ocean, as the terra-atmosphere was too harsh to support life. As eons have passed, these microorganisms slowly emerged and converted the atmosphere above into a subtler and oxygen-rich environment. Slowly, these microorganisms evolved into multicellular cells, or Eukaryotes, which is now the cellular system of the macroorganisms.Figure 15 The Four-Humor in line with the Four Elements.

Figure 16 An image showing how Earth once was a chaotic wasteland. The land was not able to support any form of life. therefore, the microorganisms genesised on the oceans, where the environment was less harsh.As a physician, Thales received his medical training in Egypt. In order to bring Greek medical theory into line with Egyptian Medicine, he proposed a Fourth Humor, the black bile. This brought humors into line with the Four Elements.Alchameon of Crotona was a young au courant and probably a disciple of Pythagoras as well. His theory of isonomia meant the perfect harmony of an organism in metabolic balance. Modern nutritionist and physiologist agree and accept that isonomia is the precursor to all metabolic theory. Also, humoral physiology and pathology evolved from the isonomia concept as well.Medicine, as codified and systemized by Hippocrates came together from many diverse scientific, medical and philosophical logic.

Being religious, the Greeks had also believed in the spirituality and help of the Gods when it comes to medical dilemma. The Greek God Apollo was known as the physician and healer of Gods, while the Greek God of Medicine, Asclepius, represented the medical arts, while his daughters represented hygiene, personal care, recuperation from illness, remedy and beauty. Asclepius was a God who carried the Asklepian, which is very familiar to all physicians and pharmacologist. The Asklepian was a rod or staff that was entwined with a serpent, a common symbol for medicine and health care. It is commonly confused with the Caduceus though, which was the winged-staff with twin snakes entwined of Hermes, which symbolized commerce. The Hippocratic Oath also began with the invocation I swear by Apollo the physician and Asclepius and by Hygieia and by Panacea and by all the gods... Figure 17 Asclepius, the Greek God of Medicine, holding the Asklepian, which became the universal symbol for medicine.

The medical system of the Greeks were codified and systemized by Hippocrates, the father of medicine and best remembered for his theory of the Four Humors. Anatomy however was not the strong point of Hippocratic Medicine. Anatomy literally means cutting-up, or dissecting of the bodies to reveal their parts and structures. There was a religious ban on the dissection of cadavers. Rather, the forte of Hippocratic Medicine was the understanding of the physiology of an organism, how it lives, interacts with the environment and how if functions to its health and survival. Hippocrates laid the foundation for medicine, which was further elaborated, expanded and enhanced by other physicians and philosophers, including Aristotle, Plato and Galen.

Figure 18 The Caduceus (left) is often mistaken for the Asklepian (middle) which is the symbol for Medical arts. (Right) The Asklepian is widely and universally used as a medical or pharmaceutical symbol. The famous library in Alexandria, established by the famous Alexander the Great, housed the writings attributed to Hippocrates, or the Hippocratic Corpus. The corpus was not entirely written by Hippocrates though, some were written by his students. The library also contained many of the aphorisms of Hippocrates and even the pioneering works such as Airs, Water and Places, which is well known as the first treatise on medical geography and climatology. Other perennial favorites include The Nature of Man.Figure 19 The world-famous Library of Alexandria housed many of the Hippocratic scrolls containing his lifelong accomplishments.

The Hippocratic Oath is a historic oath that is taken by physicians and other health care professionals to practice medicine with utter honesty. I swear byApollo, the healer,Asclepius,Hygieia, andPanacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement:

To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught methis art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art; and that by my teaching, I will impart a knowledge of this art to my own sons, and to my teacher's sons, and to disciples bound by an indenture and oath according to the medical laws, and no others.

I willprescriberegimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment andnever do harmto anyone.I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and similarly I will not give a woman apessaryto cause anabortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.I will notcut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists inthis art.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or men, be they free or slaves.Figure 20 The Hippocratic Oath.

All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I willkeep secretand will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practise my art, respected by all humanity and in all times; but if Iswervefrom it or violate it, may the reverse be my life.

Throughout the conquest of Alexander the Great, medical knowledge spread far and wide, through the Mediterranean and beyond. The Alexandrian School was called the Empirical School, and everything was open to testing and experimentation. For a brief period of time, religious ban on dissecting was lifted, and Herophilus performed the first postmortem examination on a cadaver at around 300 B.C.E.The early Romans were stoic lots who did not rely too much on doctors. Instead, their prescription of a healthy life was a simple diet of good food, wholesome meals, personal cleanliness and hygiene and abundant hard work and exercise. But as the Roman Empire grew and life became more complex, the need for doctors became dire. Ambitious physicians from all over the empire who desired fame and fortune poured into Rome. The most famous and highly reputed physicians were Greek, many of whom studied and trained in Alexandria. Few of them however, were born Roman.Figure 21 Early medical tools of the Greeks and Romans resemble the modern medical tools.

The Romans, who were imperial geniuses, were masters of public health. They installed long aqueducts and sophisticated plumbing systems throughout Rome and all over the empire. They also drained swamps and marshlands near crowded urban areas to prevent pestilential diseases such as dengue and malaria. Public health care was often free of charge, since the ancient Romans realized the benefit and great impact of healthy citizens to the empire. This is where the modern subsidized healthcare traces its origin. The two most acknowledged envoy of the Roman medical firmament were Galen and Dioscorides, both of whom were Greeks. The two were both pioneering innovators and made major contributions in the field of medicine. Galen was hailed the greatest physician while Dioscorides was a master herbalist and the Father of Pharmacy. Dioscorides studied herbs extensively and discovered that many of the plants contained compounds that were antimicrobial. Figure 22 A first-hand picture of an Aryballos depicting the Medical practice in Greece, taken at Muse du Louvre in Paris, France.

These compounds were later used widely and immensely helped during Imperial conquests and wars, wherein soldiers get wounded frequently. Aside from antimicrobial compounds, Dioscorides studied the other medical uses of herbs in treating illnesses and diseases. Later, these herbs were the basis of the modern medicine. In his famous medical reference, the Materia Medica is a haven for herbs and natural plants that wont be left behind when raced with the modern antibiotics. Fortunately, since these herbs are natural, the side effects are minimal, to almost none. Figure 23 First-hand photos from the pages of Materia Medica.

Amongst them was the Lithium candidum, which was used for poultice, snake bites, burns, sores, wounds and other anti-inflammatory effects; nowadays, steroidal alkaloids and saponins, acylated lilialine, substances with anti-yeast and antioxidative properties have been successfully isolated and reproduced. Peganum harmalaused those days for anti-poison and antitumor effects, nowadays exhibiting antimicrobial, antitumor and vasorelaxant effects.Sinapis albais still used for anti-inflammatory activity. According to Dioscorides,Viscum albumdilutes absorbs and assimilates abscesses and neoplasia;

Figure 24 The Materia Medica contains a vast knowledge on how to use herbal plants as antimicrobial ointments or elixirs. Antimicrobial herbs such as mint, basil, sage and Thyme can be found in the pages.

The Greeks and Romans also believed in the power of mid-over-matter. According to the theory, the human mind is capable of virtually anything. It has the ability to create, control, destroy and even metamorph objects. To its extreme potential, the human mind can morph even space and time, altering the reality of any event. This is actually more than just a Jedi belief. In neo-modern science or perhaps to be specific, Noetic science--which studies the capabilities of human potential--studies have shown that the theory might be plausible. The brain unwaveringly emits brain waves and according to the theory, these waves are actually powerful enough to influence the physical world. With enough amplification, these waves can manipulate reality. According to history and legends, many humans were once capable of god-like feats, as it was gifts from God himself. As time passed, humans became abusive of the knowledge and became corrupted, accusing the world to succumb to chaos and nearly destroying it. The secret on achieving the human potential was then kept hidden to prevent it being misused again. The secret, known to some as the Ancient Mysteries, is kept and the location is only known to certain brotherhood whose purpose was solely to keep the secrets falling to the wrong hands. Many of modern science discovery has in fact, been already discovered long ago. As an example, the String theory being a Theory of the universe itself; one computes probabilities in a similar way, by summing quantities associated with the worldsheets joining an initial string configuration to a final configuration. It was recently found out that ancient books depict an image wherein worlds and dimensions were interlinked into one by strings.Figure 25 The Apotheosis of Washington, by Constantino Brumidi, depicts George Washington, a Freemason and known guardian of the Ancient Mysteries, ascending into enlightenment or Apotheosis.

Although it may sound unbelievable to skeptics, unknowingly, this profound theory is what gave birth to the Placebo test and the ancestor of Psychology.During the fall of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire endured a thousand more years and medical knowledge was preserved. After being crushed by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the medical knowledge was kept alive long enough to be passed on to the Muslim Arabs, who kept the spirit of science and learning alive, while Europe plummeted into the Dark Ages.

Alchemy and Arabic MedicineFigure 26 Alchemy studied the relationship of Man to Nature and how objects, with proper measurements, could be "Traded" into new objects.

Alchemy, from the Arabic and Egyptian word Al meaning the and kimiya meaning black Earth, is an art which claimed to be a precursor to profound powers and abilities. Alchemy is one of the most ancient and sophisticated knowledge and the forefather of modern science and medicine.In the modern world, human tends to regard Alchemy as a hokum and nothing more than a brotherhood of dubious hucksters whose dreams were to transform base metals into gold. But actually, that claim is far from the truth and only bequeaths skeptics in a universe of ignorance. Alchemists are actually the forerunners of modern chemists and many chemical reactions and processing methods originated from alchemical studies. Alchemists developed a systemic structure of laboratory protocols, theory, terminology and experimental methods that are widely used by scientist and physicians.Alchemy was responsible for the birth of many chemical and biological transformative processes, such as distillation, evaporation, condensation, acid-base reaction, pharmaceutical synthesis, reverse synthesis, reverse transformation, vaccine synthesis and many more. The Father of Chemistry, Jabir ibn Hayaan--who also a famous alchemist--introduced a new approach in alchemical methods. His advent was based on scientific methodology and controlled experimentation in the laboratory, using precise skills and avoiding as much errors as possible.Early Islamic Alchemist such as Jabir Ibn Hayaan, Al-Kindi and Muhammad ibn Zakariya Razi are credited for many key chemical discoveries such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric and nitric acids, and many more. Aqua regia, a formulation that is composed of nitric and hydrochloric acids could dissolve the noblest of metal, gold, fueled alchemist for their next millennium.Figure 27 Jabir Ibn Hayaan, Father of Chemistry. Jabir is famous for many of his Alchemical works which brought on the legacy as the modern Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology.

However, the most influential of all alchemists was Jabir. Jabirs paramount goal was Takwin, the artificial creation of life, including human life. Analyzing many of the Aristotelian elements in terms of hotness, dryness, coldness and moistness, Jabir theorized that by rearranging their qualitative and quantitative measures, forms of materials can be changed. It is believed that Jabir was able to carry out his experiment and resulted in the creation of the homunculus, or artificial beings. Jabir however was not able to incorporate or recreate the most important aspect of a human being, the soul. A total of seven homunculi were primarily created by the Brotherhood (Brotherhood of 13 Alchemists.), each one of the homunculi were immortals and had heinous hearts. They were named according to their traits; Greed, Envy, Lust, Sloth, Gluttony, Wrath and Pride.

Figure 28 Alchemical symbols were more than just mere drawings or languages. It symbolized Elements and processes, which are widely used in the fields of Sciences. In fact, Alchemy was more scientific and mystic.The seven homunculi were difficult to control and nearly destroyed the foundations of the Brotherhood and Alchemy as well. However, they lived on for a number of years and some had even become leaders of nations. Unknowingly, the Brotherhood had secretly created an 8th homunculus. As they grew more corrupted, the Brotherhood was forced to wake the 8th, and the last, Homunculus; Perfection. Perfection was solely created for one purpose, to eliminate all the seven deadly and corrupted homunculi should they be uncontrollable. Perfection was successful in destroying the seven sins of Alchemy, but he too, despite the name, had no soul and therefore was forced to be taken down by the Brotherhood. Jabir then finally realized that Soul cannot be created. It can only be given by the Creator and God Himself, and no one else. Takwin, unknown to many modern scientists, is the ancestral knowledge and the basis of modern Biotechnology.The modern chimera studies, a field of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering which deals in the hybrid of 2 organisms or their genes originated from Alchemy. In Alchemy, chimera studies where performed in order to exceed mans limitation. Example, Alchemists produced chimaeras such as eagle fused with lion. The limitation of lions was their inability to fly, while the eagles were their limited hunting capability. In the field of humans, several combinations where experimented, such as infusion of the reptilian regeneration into a human, where lost limbs may be regenerated into new ones; an aspect that no medicine or medical procedure may imitate. The results and successions of the Alchemical Chimaera were vague, however, it is fully understood that the knowledge and principle is carried out by modern Biotechnology.Figure 29 The process ofdistillation was created by the arabic alchemists, which is popularly used today in many fields of science, especially medicine.

One of the crucial areas wherein alchemists were involved in was medicine. The crux of medicine was transformation, and one of the alchemical principles was transforming poisons and inert substances into medicines which were capable of bringing healing transformation into an organism. This was made by transforming the same materials found in the substance, into a new form, or morph. The transformation is governed by the Alchemical law of Equivalent Trade. Figure 30 The Transmutation circles contained procedures and materials needed in order for a transformation to occur. It was the first laboratory manual for scientists today.

Experiments and transformations, or in alchemical words, transmutation, were performed inside Transmutation Circles, a symbolized and mathematically premeditated work table. The circle consists of symbols that represented the quantity, quality, direction of reactions, ingredients, process and other instructions for the transformation to take place. It is equipollent to the modern laboratory manual.Alchemical practices and currents of ideas could be found in medical systems all over the world. The Taoist monks practiced alchemy, while in Ayurvedic Medicine, alchemical bhasmas, or mineral ashes are wonder drugs that are widely used today.The alchemic tradition in Greece and the western world is based on Hermetic philosophy, which was founded by the fabled Egyptian philosopher king Hermestus Trimegistus. The principle was As above, so below; as within, so without. In its summary, structure and composition, the microcosm of the human body is reflective of the macrocosm of Nature. Diseases and dysfunction arises when the equilibrium of either is disturbed. Healing consists of bringing back the balance among the two. During the European Dark Ages, Islamic Alchemy and Medicine were flourishing. Muslim scholars and physicians continued to seek out and let the knowledge thrive. The medical knowledge which originated from the Greco-Romans were transformed and ameliorated, which shows how the medical information were flexible, resilient and adaptable enough to absorb innovations and influences.Figure 31 Scanned original copy of "The Alchemy of Happiness".Figure 32 Many skeptics and bias scientists disregard Alchemy as an Occultism. Alchemy is widely misunderstood. Although it contained many mystic philosophyies, most of its methods are scientific and logical. Alchemy resembles the modern scientific field of Noetic Science.

Within a few centuries of its birth, Islam had expanded from the Atlantic Ocean at the West, to the Indian Ocean at the South and Pacific Ocean at the East. As Islam grew in all directions, so did the Unani-Tibb (Greco-Arabic) Medical knowledge. Where the campaign went, so did the physicians, making contact with numerous cultures and adapting themselves to the local conditions and resources. Unani-Tibb has enriched itself by imbibing new medicine, techniques and treatments from the various cultures it made contact with, such as the Ayurveda and Oriental Medicine.During the Crusades, the Islamic world had produced prominent names in the field of Medicine. However, their names were Latinized and their medical treatises were imported to Europe and translated into Latin to serve as the main backbone of the medical schools only springing-up in Europe.Such names include Ibn Rushd or Averroes, who wrote five volumes of the Al-Culliyat (The Fundamentals) or commonly known as Colliget. Al-Razi, or Rhazes, a physician and Alchemist, wrote the vast medical encyclopedia, Continens.However, the greatest amongst them was Hakim Ibn Sina, or commonly known as Avicenna. He wrote a five volume treatise which became the standard textbook in European medical schools which is still used today. The book is well known as The Canon of Medicine.As wars and strife were devastating their homelands, Unani-Tibb physicians moved to India to find a safe haven for their art. Hakim Ajmal Khan was an Indian Patriot and Unani physician who struggled for freedom and independence against the British rule. He was a great advocate and pioneered scientific research into the existing medical knowledge. Today, as modern medicine enjoys its phenomenal surge in popularity, the origin and roots of the art lags behind in recognition, perhaps due to its minority Islamic associations.Figure 33 Avicenna's Canon of Medicine in its Latin version.Figure 34 The Arabs created the first Human anatomy chart, depicting the parts and possible treatments for battle wounds. it was later Latinized and improved.

Countless herbs, plants and even food, were discovered to have antimicrobial compounds, which immensely helped turned tides during wars. Soldiers and warriors usually fell not from battle, but from infections and lack of medical treatment. The Islamic discovery for almost ninety percent of the antimicrobial compounds, including the use of fungi and yeast to treat infections, diseases and illnesses, along with the surgical procedures and anatomical studies created by Arabic physicians, are the tools that lead to medical success today.

Small-scale testing for Turmeric and Chili Pepper

Streak PlatingE. coli (non-pathogenic) was streak-plated on LB Agar plates. The result yielded single colonies, which were then used to create broth cultures for the experiment. This was used to obtained single colonies and has a non-pathogenic bacteria available for the antibiotics susceptibility test by disc diffusion.Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test (Disc Diffusion Method)The compounds used in the experiment are natural and were based from the Canon of Medicine. These compounds were used during the Ancient and Medieval times to treat infections, similar to antibiotics, but with almost no harmful side-effects. The use of these compounds are not invasive and would not compromise the natural defense of the human body, much less will it influence the immune system in a negative ramification. The disc diffusion method was utilized to test the efficiency of the natural compounds, using homogenized Turmeric and Green Chili substance as the antimicrobial agents. The LB agar plates were prepared in accordance to the test. The natural compounds used were Turmeric and Chili peppers. The compounds were prepared by water extraction method and with no filtration, as it is believed that filtering the liquid will leave behind important alkaloids and proteins.As the solution was prepared, Ampicillin 10 disc has been placed in the center of the plate, to provide a control. Afterwards, blank disc were dipped into the natural compounds solution and placed into an alternate, four-quadrant division. Triplicates of samples were aseptically made and were sealed. Finally the plates were incubated at 37 degrees Celsius and allowed 18 hours for bacterial growth. Later, the results showed that the natural compounds were able to inhibit the growth of E. coli, as shown by the presence of inhibition zones on the plate. Figure 36 Natural compounds of Turmeric and Green Chili peppers extracted.

Turmeric, or Curcuma longa, is a spice widely used in many cuisines. However, the use of this spice exceeds the palate of tastes. Throughout Asia and the Mediterranean, traditional medicine has utilized turmeric as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent. It is used for respiratory diseases, liver disorders, sprains and sinusitis.The term antimicrobial is used to describe compounds that have the ability to destroy or inhibit microbial growth, such as bacteria, virus and fungi. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infection, antiviral for viruses and so on. Turmeric contains diferuloylmethane or curcumin, which is the main active ingredient responsible for the Turmerics amazing properties. Turmeric has long been used to treat wounds, especially during the ancient times where war was an ongoing habit.

Figure 37 Turmeric is an ancient and effective medicine used to treat infections, diabetes and even cancer.In The Canon of Medicine, Turmeric has been describe as a miraculous plant that was carried everywhere by Islamic Jihadist or Warriors. Should there be any wounds present, they quickly applied turmeric powder or the crushed spice itself, and immediately, the wounds would stop bleeding and infection would not occur. Aside from that, according to The Canon, Turmeric has been used to treat tonsillitis and any form of Pharyngitis, whether it was benign or severe cases. Turmeric was crushed and mixed with tea and honey, which also has antimicrobial agents. The tea was then drank and instantly, the pain subsided.Chili peppers are known to be used in spices because of the distinct sensation they incorporate, hotness. When pepper spray is used on the face, the burning sensation is caused by one of the chilis active ingredient, capsaicin.Chili peppers are bursting with free-radical scouring antioxidants and research shown that the active ingredient capsaicin, exhibits immense antiviral and antibacterial properties. Chili peppers have been used as topical ointments during the ancient times. Due to their natural heat, it was effective to incorporate chili paste on inflamed joints (Rheumatoid arthritis, Gout, Ankylosing spondylitis and Bursitis) to relieve the inflammation and pain. Nerve pains associated with osteoarthritis had also been treated traditionally with chili pepper pastes and creams.Figure 38 The active ingredient of Chili, capsaicin is responsible for its numerous antimicrobial and antioxidative properties. it is also the agent that causes the burning sensation.

In the Canon of Medicine, Avicenna wrote that chili pepper, where the human tongue finds it hot, infectious microbes also finds it hot. He also mentioned several other medical uses such as: Lowering the force of circulation and lifting weight from the heart (Decreasing blood pressure) Burning down the fat consumed from meat (Cholesterol levels) Relieves the body of coupled blood (Blood coagulation) Destroying plague diseases (Herpes, Leptospirosis etc) Increasing body temperature during winter and increasing the efficiency of digestion (Metabolism)Ongoing studies promises prevention of conditions such as post-surgical pain, cancer, cerebrovascular attacks, pneumonitis, migraine and other medical conditions especially in the field of infections.Conclusion and Further studiesTurmeric and Chili has been proven to inhibit bacterial growth. Aside from that, they have been proven both to have strong antimicrobial and antiviral properties and may be used to treat numerous medical diseases, without the negative side-effects as antibiotics present.Natural compounds contain active ingredients that are on par with modern antibiotics, but with no harmful side effects. In fact, natural compounds have been widely used ages before antibiotics.

Figure 39 Natural compounds found in food, herbs and spices have no harmful side-effects.Antibiotics have the mechanism similar to natural compounds; however they disturb the metabolism and natural harmony of an individuals internal structures.There are numerous compounds that are available which has the ability to exhibit antimicrobial and antiviral properties. The uses of antibiotics are becoming widespread and the misuse even wider.

This results into the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria which is one of the main causes of death in the hospitals.Herbs such as sage, thyme, basil, oregano and parsley all exhibit antimicrobial properties and may be used as replacements for antibiotics. However, there are few or none modern tests using disc diffusion carried out on these said herbs. Spices like cinnamon, cardamom, anise and cloves are proven to fight off diseases and infections, according to the Materia Medica.Using natural compounds not only destroys the bacteria, but they do not allow evolution of more resistant strains. Aside from that, natural compounds offer a much gentler and subtler, but nonetheless, more effective way in dealing with microbial and viral infections.Figure 40 Spices are proven to have many medical uses.

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