[Pharmacy and the great contribution of Arab-Islamic science to its development]. 1997

S Hadzović

The differentiation and separation of two scientific disciplines, medicine and pharmacy begins during the 12th century. Each differentiation by itself brings certain improvement and upgrading but at any level, this happens only when proper conditions are met. Therefore, in order for pharmacy to appear as a profession and to promoted to the level of science, certain conditions had to be met, namely the society and cultural forces had matured to the level of differentiation of these two disciplines, which have begun existing as completely independent disciplines in that time. For the history of pharmacy, it is very important to note the fact that we find the first beginnings of professional pharmacy among Arabic population. The first drug stores in the world were established in Arabic world (Baghdad 754). Considering the fact that Arabs had brought a great deal to pharmaceutical science and the fact that their search included some 2.000 substances, the goal of this work was formulated and medicinal herbs used in the treatment listed. The forms used that period are still used in the therapy and some formulations of drugs can be found in pharmacopeas even today. If we add to these reports the fact that most of the literature appearing in the field was also of Arabic origin and that many editions and translations of the pharmaceutical works from Arabic to Latin had been published ever since, the obvious contribution of Arabic science in the development of pharmacy becomes even more obvious.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008514 Medicine, Arabic Traditional concepts of medicine and associated methods reflected in medicine in the ARAB WORLD. Arabic Medicine
D010946 Plants, Medicinal Plants whose roots, leaves, seeds, bark, or other constituent parts possess therapeutic, tonic, purgative, curative or other pharmacologic attributes, when administered to man or animals. Herbs, Medicinal,Medicinal Herbs,Healing Plants,Medicinal Plants,Pharmaceutical Plants,Healing Plant,Herb, Medicinal,Medicinal Herb,Medicinal Plant,Pharmaceutical Plant,Plant, Healing,Plant, Medicinal,Plant, Pharmaceutical,Plants, Healing,Plants, Pharmaceutical
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000077406 History of Pharmacy Study of the origins and development of the field of PHARMACY. Pharmacy, History,Pharmacy History
D049691 History, Medieval The period of history from the year 500 through 1450 of the common era. Medieval History,History of Medicine, Medieval,History of Medicine, Renaissance,Medicine, Medieval History,Medicine, Renaissance,Medieval History (Medicine),Renaissance Medicine,Histories, Medieval (Medicine),History Medicine, Medieval,History, Medieval (Medicine),Medieval Histories (Medicine),Medieval History Medicine
D018643 Arab World A historical and cultural entity dispersed across a wide geographical area under the administrative, intellectual, social, and cultural domination of the Arab empire. The Arab world, under the impetus of Islam, by the eighth century A.D., extended from Arabia in the Middle East to all of northern Africa, southern Spain, Sardinia, and Sicily. Close contact was maintained with Greek and Jewish culture. While the principal service of the Arabs to medicine was the preservation of Greek culture, the Arabs themselves were the originators of algebra, chemistry, geology, and many of the refinements of civilization. (From A. Castiglioni, A History of Medicine, 2d ed, p260; from F. H. Garrison, An Introduction to the History of Medicine, 4th ed, p126)

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