Ancient Natural Painkillers

Willow Bark

For centuries, the bark of the willow tree was used as an anti-inflammatory remedy that relieved pain. White willows grew along the Nile’s riverbanks, providing a ready source of bark. The Ebers Papyrus, a compilation of medical texts dating from about 1500 BC, described the bark’s use as a painkiller. The ancient Chinese and the ancient Greeks also used willow bark for this purpose. Dioscorides noted its power to reduce inflammation.