The materia medica (müfredat) and the use of simple drugs in Ottoman medicine

Mükerrem Bedizel Zülfikar-Aydın

A brief historical review of medical treatment indicates that diseases were cured either by "simple" (müfred) or composed (mürekkeb) drugs derived from plants, minerals and various animal products. In this respect, the usage of these drugs has always been an issue of great interest in all cultures ranging from the Chinese, Indian, Islamic to the Western.

The present article is based on medical works compiled in Turkish between the XVth and XVIIIth centuries. It examines the concepts of simple drugs (müfred deva) and materia medica (müfredat), the use of 'simple drugs', and the principles followed in their application. The general characteristics of the works on simple drugs is elucidated. The article also aims to identify the significance of treatment with simple drugs in Ottoman medicine.

Key words: materia medica, Ottoman medicine, simple drugs; Anahtar kelimeler: müfred deva, müfredat eserleri, Osmanlı tıbbı.