A Study on the Pharmacognosy Materials of Ancient Traditional Medicine Prescriptions Used to Treat Bubonic Plague

Background

Ancient Mongolian doctors and scholar-monks identified diseases that were prevalent among Mongolians but were not described in Indian Ayurveda or Tibetan medicine. Based on the theory of wind, bile, and phlegm, they revised the classification of diseases to incorporate these conditions. A notable example is the entirely new systematization of the classification, nomenclature, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases. Consequently, attention must be directed to the works of Mongolian physicians and scholar-monks whose contributions were instrumental in advancing and sustaining this area of knowledge.

Purpose

The research objective is to identify medicinal raw materials used in prescriptions for the bubonic plague that occurred in Mongolia, which were not included in the classification of infectious diseases in the "Ashtanga hridaya samhita," one of the three major Ayurvedic works, and the "Four Medical Tantras”, the principal text for training Tibetan and Mongolian doctors.

Materials and Methods

This study utilized source analysis of ancient texts and the checklist method as research methods.

Results

The study yielded the following findings. First, the earliest recorded descriptions of bubonic plague, which was prevalent in Mongolia during that period, were presented in the works of the scholar-monk Lama Ishbaljir, who integrated both theoretical and practical approaches. Subsequently, scholar-monks such as Luvsanchoinpil and Choijamts described methods for the treatment and prevention of individuals affected by the bubonic plague in their respective texts. In particular, Ishbaljir emphasized that the composition of the Nine Blacks ingredients could be used not only for preventing this disease but also for the prevention of infectious diseases more broadly.

Conclusion

The renowned Mongolian medical scholar Ishbaljir authored his book “Bdud rtsi zil dkar” in 1753, in which he claimed to be the first Mongolian physician to write about marmot poisoning or bubonic plague. Historically, Mongolian ancestors and nomadic communities have long employed various methods to prevent and treat infectious diseases. Over time, these practices were adapted and enriched to suit regional characteristics, extreme climates, unique living conditions, and the physiological traits of the population. Some approaches were newly discovered, while others evolved through generations of experience. Through this process, these methods contributed to the development of a unique and comprehensive body of medical knowledge, shaped by the cognitive and scientific advancements of ancient doctors and maarambas.