The Old English Herbarium, a key medical text from the 10th century, compiles plant-based remedies including over 185 species. Among these, the mandrake stands out due to its mythical status and purported healing properties. Believed to scream upon uprooting and potentially causing harm, the mandrake's eerie resemblance to a human figure fed into its folklore as a powerful hallucinogen. Detailed instructions in the Herbarium explain how to harvest it safely, highlighting its value in treating various ailments, despite the surrounding dangers and superstitions tied to it.
The Old English Herbarium, dating to around the 10th century, is a collection of medical remedies based on much earlier works. It offers cures from over 185 plants including the mandrake.
The mandrake root, resembling a human body, was surrounded by folklore during the Middle Ages. It was considered highly toxic yet valuable for its medicinal properties.
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