Since time immemorial, we have tried to cure illness and alleviate suffering. Pharmacy is an important part of medicine, health care and modern medicine. From its roots in herbal medicine to modern medical innovations, pharmacy has developed into a mainstay of healthcare. We embark on an exciting journey through the history of pharmacy and its connection to science and humanity's quest for progress.
Medicine offline and online
Today everything is very simple. If the doctor prescribes a prescription, the next trip is to the pharmacy. The medication is handed out there and is taken as directed by the doctor. To make everything even easier, the digital prescription and its redemption are now available Online pharmacy on the agenda. Remedies, aids and medications are delivered directly to your door. This is practical and convenient, especially if it is difficult to leave the house due to illness. In addition, the pharmacies and pharmacists are trained specialists who are available to provide competent advice if you have any complaints. But pharmaceuticals have come a long way to this point.
From bat droppings to evidence-based research
One of the oldest known recipes comes from Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and was created around 2400 BC. Recorded in cuneiform script on a clay tablet. It describes the preparation of poultices and ointments. In addition to mustard, figs and myrrh, the ingredients include bat droppings, snake skin and hair from a cow's stomach, which today makes the remedies seem more like the cliché of a magic potion.
Records of compound medicine can also be found in the Sushruta Samhita, a Sanskrit text on surgery and one of the foundational texts of Ayurvedic medicine. These records date back to the 6th century BC. However, the origins of pharmacy go back much further and are probably almost as old as humanity.
Taking inspiration from nature and using plants as medicine was the initial stage and birth of the science we now call pharmacy.
New ways
In the late Middle Ages and early modern times, pharmacy took significant steps forward. The discovery of new substances and new alchemical experiments led to the development of numerous medicines. In addition, many scientists gradually began to move away from mystical ideas and preferred a more rational and evidence-based approach to the development of new drugs.
With the invention of printing in the 15th century, it became possible to distribute the first printed collections of medicines.
Pharmacy finally made another big leap during the time of the Industrial Revolution. In the 19th century, medicines were manufactured with increasing technical sophistication. Derivatives and Phenothiazines had a significant impact on various aspects of pharmacy. In 1847, chloroform was used as an anesthetic for the first time. The use of insulin and the development of penicillin were also groundbreaking pharmaceutical milestones.
Pharmacy of the present
Today, pharmacy is experiencing a time of high technology that is once again inspiring it. Not least worth mentioning in this context is the development of personalized medications and the use of artificial intelligence in drug research. Pharmacy continues to demonstrate great potential for the further development of humanity over and over again.
The profession of the pharmacist
In Greek legend, Asclepius, the god of healing, gave Hygieia the task of putting together his remedies. She was his pharmacist or pharmacist.
But pharmacists don't just appear in old myths. In ancient Egypt, physician-priests were divided into two classes. There were those who visited the sick and those who stayed in the temple and prepared the remedies. There was also such a separation of tasks in the healing arts in ancient Greece, the Roman Empire and Europe in the Middle Ages. In addition to the doctors, there were herbalists who supplied the medical professionals with the raw materials necessary for the production of medicines. Pharmacy-like shops had already emerged in Europe in the 12th century.
In modern times, this trend toward specialization has been exacerbated in part by legislation. In 1240, Emperor Frederick II issued a decree that separated the profession of pharmacist from that of doctor. And in 1683, the city council of Bruges passed a law prohibiting doctors from preparing medicines for their patients. In America, it was Benjamin Franklin who supported the separation of the profession of doctor from that of pharmacist.
Challenging training
The history of pharmaceutical education is closely linked to the history of medical education. Just as the training of doctors changed from the apprentice system to formal training courses, this also applied to the training of the pharmacist. In 1821, what is now known as the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science was founded in the United States as the first teaching institute for pharmacy. Other institutes based on this model were soon established in Europe. In 1852 the American Pharmaceutical Association was founded. It should promote the professional development of pharmacists, disseminate information and raise awareness of the role of pharmacists and their contribution to patient care.
Today there are independent or university colleges of pharmacy in many countries. The universities not only prepare their students for practical work as pharmacists. Master's and postgraduate courses in particular are designed to prepare students for a career in research, manufacturing or teaching in the field of pharmacy.
January 11, 2023