History of Herbal Medicine in Egypt
Egypt has a deep and rich history in herbal medicine, going back to the age of ancient Egypt and the Pharaohs that ruled these lands. The oldest known scientific records, the Ebens papyrus, dating back to the 16th century B.C. mentioned Sacred Frankincense (Boswellia Sacra), an herb sought after by kings and queens. This gum resin was harvested in the wilderness of Oman by the Arabs and trade routes were created to connect Arabia with Egypt.
For centuries and millennia, Egypt has been the center of the herb and spice trade routes connecting Europe, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Far East. Many herbalists and physicians throughout history have studied the uses and benefits of all kinds of medicinal herbs here in Egypt. It was a golden age when people valued knowledge and wisdom, and seekers traveled for months risking life and limb just to have the privilege to study and learn from renown healers, herbalists and alchemists. And their writings remain today proving that in most cases their findings and teachings, matches that of modern scientific studies on the physiological effects of herbs.
It is our humble mission at The Apothecary Egypt, to rekindle the fire of herbalism & herbal medicine in Egypt.
We hope that our work and effort can be a blessing to you and your family.
Karim Barakat, MH.
Founder, The Apothecary Egypt