Ephedra fragile
New discovery in a burial pit, in the “Gruta dos Pombos”, represents the oldest evidence of the use of plants as medicine in Africa. Ephedra dates back to prehistory and would be used for banquets and funeral rituals.
A November 2 study in Scientific Reports revealed surprising evidence about the use of plants for medicinal purposes by prehistoric communities.
In the Grotte des Pigeons (Cave of Pigeons, translating into Portuguese), located in the northeast of Morocco, cones of Ephedra seedsa plant known for its stimulating and medicinal properties.
These remains, dating from around 15,000 yearssuggest that the plant was used by Ibero-Maurisian hunter-gatherers in ceremonial and possibly therapeutic contexts.
Ephedra cones were found in a burial pit next to human remainsBarbary sheep and birds such as common bustards, reports the , which points to the presence of an elaborate funerary ritual.
Ephedra is vasoconstrictive and facilitates breathing
According to Jacob Morales, archaeobotanist at the University of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, this discovery reinforces the crucial role of plants in the Paleolithic lifestyle, “long before the appearance of agriculture or a sedentary lifestyle”.
The presence of Ephedra, which contains ephedrinesuggests that its use may have been associated with ritual banquets, perhaps to maintain vigil or alleviate physical symptoms. The chemical compound makes breathing easier and acts as a vasoconstrictorbut it can also be dangerous when consumed in excess, causing an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Ancient people may have used the plant’s medicinal properties strategically, for example, in practices such as rudimentary surgeries.
Studies indicate that Ibero-Maurisians had advanced knowledge about the human body, evidenced by practices such as tooth extraction and trepanation.
Ephedra, with its vasoconstrictive properties, would have been useful for minimizing blood loss and reducing infectionspotentially assisting in medical procedures.
The discovery also suggests that consumption of the plant could be related to ceremonial ritualsin the funerary context.
But the use of plants for medicinal purposes is not exclusive to Ibero-Maurisians. Ancient texts from China and Mesopotamia, as well as archaeological discoveries elsewhere, show that humanity has explored the properties of plants for millennia. However, the discovery in the Grotte des Pigeons stands out for its age and the fact that it is the first of its kind on the African continent.
