SILPHIUM A PLANTA MIRACULOSA DA GRÉCIA ANTIGA
ARTIGO ORIGINAL
Silphion (=Silphium) refers to an oleo-gum-resin of a well-known ancient medicinal plant [1]. Due to its numerous therapeutic uses [2,3] and spice qualities [4], it was the major economic resource of the Cyrenaic region of Libya [5] for six centuries. The kings of Cyrene endeavored to retain the monopoly of silphion trade, nevertheless, a certain amount was smuggled to the Carthaginians, and Carthage became a supplier of silphion to some extent [6]. Although wide-spread trading of silphion in the Mediterranean region was initiated with the establishment of the Greek colonization of the Cyrenaic region, the commercial source must have been well developed prior to these large-scale trading practices and there is even some fragmented evidence in Minoan pictograms that suggests the presence of silphion production in the Late Bronze Age [1,7,8]. Since the natural habitat of the silphion plant was near Egypt, one might wonder about the awareness of ancient Egyptians regarding the presence and medicinal values of the silphion plant. Indeed, there is some archaeological and linguistic evidence indicating that ancient Egyptians knew about silphion and used it in Egyptian rituals such as the renewal of the King’s vigor in the Old Kingdom [1,8]. (researchgate, plantas, 2021, 1,2).
RESUMO
Giovanni Prete / Greek Reporter
A planta “milagrosa” Silphium consumida pelos antigos gregos, romanos e egípcios, que se pensava ter sido extinta há 2.000 anos, foi recentemente redescoberta na Turquia por um professor, que pensa ter encontrado um sobrevivente botânico.
A planta, que os antigos gregos chamavam de silphion (silphium), era uma planta de flor dourada. Já foi o produto mais procurado no Mediterrâneo, mesmo antes da ascensão de Atenas e do Império Romano. Acredita-se que a planta com flores amarelas presas a um caule grosso era esmagada, assada, refogada e fervida para fins medicinais, alimentares e até contraceptivos.
Durante o reinado de Júlio César, mais de mil libras de plantas foram armazenadas junto com o ouro nos tesouros imperiais de Roma, e as mudas de sílfion foram avaliadas pelo mesmo preço que a prata. No entanto, apenas sete séculos depois que a planta adorada foi documentada pela primeira vez crescendo ao longo da costa Cirenaica, onde hoje é a Líbia, o silphion desapareceu do antigo mundo mediterrâneo.
O cronista romano Plínio, o Velho, em sua História Natural, afirma que “apenas um talo foi encontrado” da planta no século I d.C., “e foi dado ao Imperador Nero”. Este foi o último relato documentado do silphion.
Inspirados por relatos antigos, os exploradores botânicos durante a Idade Média procuraram perpetuamente plantas de silphium em três continentes, todavia em vão.
Conseqüentemente, os historiadores acreditaram que o desaparecimento do silphion foi a primeira extinção registrada de qualquer espécie, planta ou animal.
Apesar da planta ter sido considerada extinta durante séculos e ter desaparecido completamente dos livros de história, um pesquisador da Universidade de Istambul, Mahmut Miski, suspeita ter redescoberto a antiga planta. Ele acredita que a Ferula drudeana que cresce no Monte Hasan é uma planta antiga e indescritível, a quase mil quilômetros de onde cresceu no passado.
De acordo com um relatório da National Geographic, o pesquisador descobriu que ela tem semelhanças com a planta histórica silphion, que se alinham com antigos textos botânicos e imagens da planta em moedas da antiga Grécia.
O pesquisador observou que ambas as plantas têm a mesma raiz espessa e ramificada e flores amarelas. Além disso, ambos possuem poderosas finalidades medicinais.
Ferula drudeana possui compostos anticancerígenos e propriedades antiinflamatórias muito semelhantes às que eram encontradas no silphium.
Embora Ferula drudeana seja encontrada a centenas de quilômetros de onde se originou, de acordo com Miski, ela foi encontrada em dois locais na Turquia, que já foram o lar dos gregos antigos, há milhares de anos. Um desses locais é a Capadócia.
Miski, que se especializou em farmacognosia, estudo de medicamentos derivados de fontes naturais, encontrou pela primeira vez a planta moderna que agora acredita ser o sílfion enquanto conduzia uma pesquisa de pós-doutorado.
Ele recebeu uma bolsa para coletar espécimes de Ferula, que é da mesma família da cenoura, da erva-doce e da salsa, e tem a reputação de produzir muitos novos compostos que combatem doenças. Enquanto Miski estudava plantas no Monte Hassan, ele determinou que elas continham trinta metabólitos secundários com finalidade medicinal. Entre os compostos estão muitos que possuem propriedades anticâncer, anticoncepcionais e anti-inflamatórias. Miski acredita que futuras análises da planta revelarão a existência de dezenas de compostos de interesse médico ainda não identificados. No Monte Hassan, Miski também encontrou cuidadores de plantas que lhe informaram que ovelhas e cabras gostam das folhas, como é mencionado no registro de Plínio sobre o antigo sílfion.
De acordo com os registros de Plínio, ovelhas e cabras pastavam em pastagens onde crescia o silphion. As ovelhas adormeciam depois de consumi-lo e isso fazia as cabras espirrar. Seu texto diz: “O suco desta planta é chamado de ‘laser’ e está muito em voga tanto para fins medicinais como para outros fins, sendo vendido ao mesmo preço que a prata. Nos últimos anos, porém, não foi encontrado em Cirene.”
Moedas de Magas de Cirene 300–282/75 AC. O verso representa silphium. (NAM, Atenas).
RESUMO
The “miracle” plant Silphium consumed by ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, which was thought to have become extinct 2000 years ago, has recently been rediscovered in Turkey by a professor, who thinks he’s found a botanical survivor.
The plant, which ancient Greeks called silphion (silphium), was a golden-flowered plant. It was once most sought-after product in Mediterranean even before rise of Athens and Roman Empire. It is believed that plant with yellow flowers attached to a thick stalk was crushed, roasted, sauteed, and boiled for medicinal purposes, food, and even contraception. During reign of Julius Caesar, more than a thousand pounds of plant were stockpiled alongside gold in Rome’s imperial treasures, and silphion saplings were valued at same price as silver. However, just seven centuries after adored plant was first documented growing along coast of Cyrenaica in what is now modern day Libya, silphion disappeared from ancient Mediterranean world.
Roman chronicler Pliny the Elder in his Natural History claims that “just one stalk has been found” of plant in 1st Century AD, “and it has been given to Emperor Nero.” This was last documented account of the silphion. Inspired by ancient accounts, botanical explorers throughout Middle Ages perpetually sought plant across three continents although in vain. Consequently, historians believed disappearance of silphion to be first recorded extinction of any species, plant or animal. Despite plant having been perceived to be extinct for centuries and having completely disappeared from the history books, a researcher at Istanbul University, Mahmut Miski, suspects he has re-discovered the ancient plant. He believes the Ferula Drudeana that grows on Mount Hasan is the elusive ancient plant, nearly a thousand miles from where it once grew.
According to a report by National Geographic, the researcher found it has similarities with silphion plant which line up with old botanical texts and images of plant on ancient Greek coins. Researcher has noticed that both plants have same thick branching root and yellow flowers. In addition, both have powerful medicinal purposes. Ferula Drudeana has anticancer compounds and anti-inflammatory properties much like those known to be found in silphium. Even though Ferula Drudeana is found hundreds of miles from where it originated, according to Miski, it has been found in two locations in Turkey, which were once home to Ancient Greeks thousands of years ago. One of these locations is Cappadocia.
Miski, who specializes in pharmacognosy, study of medicines derived from natural sources, first encountered modern plant he now believes to be silphion while conducting postdoctoral research. He had received a grant to collect specimens of Ferula, which is in the same family as carrots, fennel, and parsley, and has reputation for yielding many novel disease-fighting compounds. While Miski was studying plants on Mount Hassan, he determined it had thirty secondary metabolites that have medical purposes. Among the compounds are many have cancer-fighting, contraceptive and anti-inflammatory properties. Miski believes that future analyses of plant will reveal existence of dozens of yet-to-be-identified compounds of medical interest. On Mount Hassan, Miski also encountered caretakers of plants who informed him sheep and goats are fond of the leaves, as is mentioned in Pliny’s record of the ancient silphion.
According to Pliny’s records, sheep and goats would graze in pastures where silphion grew. The sheep would fall asleep after consuming it, and it caused goats to sneeze. His text reads: “The juice of this plant is called ‘laser’ and it is greatly in vogue for medicinal as well as other purposes, being sold at the same rate as silver. For these many years past, however, it has not been found in Cyrenaica.”
A coin of Magas of Cyrene 300–282/75 BC. The reverse side depicts silphium. (NAM, Athens).
Fonte
References
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