User:Ulli11/sandbox

During the ninth century the concept of pharmacies was born. Advancements in chemistry and medicine during this time period created a need for a separate place to distribute medicine. Hence, the modern pharmacy was created. After some time, pharmaceuticals became its own field of study. People were able to pursue careers in pharmacy after the field became more established. The Golden Age of Arabic Medicine was key for the creation and advancement of this field.

During the Golden Age of Arabic Medicine and the translation movement, many advancements were made in regard to medicine and pharmacy. These developments stemmed from the mindset that for every ailment that is inflicted on man, God creates a cure in nature. This thought process was termed pharmacognosy. Books were one of the main ways people studied different drugs. Most books on pharmacology were not originally Arabic, but were Greek. Some of the books that impacted the field were Tarkib-Al-Advieh about mixtures of drugs, Al-Advieh Al-Mofradeh which was written about single drugs, Ghova-Al-Aghzieh which concerned the potency of food for medicine, Al-Advieh Ao Al-dava, Al-Oram which concerned swellings of the body, and Al-Teriagh or The Book of Theriac. Through readings, Islamic doctors were able to find drugs that they could use to help treat patients.

One of the most notable contributors to pharmacology was Galen, a physician in the Roman Empire, wrote on theories of drug action. Galen’s theories were later recorded, simplified, and translated by Arabic scholars, notably Hunayn ibn Ishak. Because of the need for the works to be translated from Greek to Arabic, there is a lot of documentation available regarding the naming of drugs. Authors such as Abulcasis and Maimonides, went into detail on this aspect and discussed the naming of drugs including the linguistics, as well as the synonyms and explanations behind the name given to the drug. Avicenna also contributed to the naming and categorization of drugs. In his Cannon of Medicine, he explained medicine types such as antiseptics and narcotics as well as explained the forms such as tablets, powers, and syrups.

After learning from the different books and coming to their own conclusions, Arabic physicians made numerous contributions when it came to determining dosage for patients depending on their condition. Multiple scholars, including the arabic scholar and physician al-Kindi, determined the geometric progression of dosage. They found there was an arithmetic increase in the drug’s sensation as the dosage was increased.

Some of the main areas of study when it came to pharmacology involved Toxicology and the science behind sedative and analgesic drugs. Many physicians, Arabic and not alike, were fascinated with poisons. They sought out knowledge on how to make them and remediate them. Similarly, the science of sedative and analgesic drugs also fascinated Arabic physicians. Substances such as Cannabis sativa (Hashish), Hyoscyamus Niger (narcotic), and Papaver somniferum (opium) were well studied and used in their medicine.