Ancient Natural Painkillers

Henbane was used in the first century AD to allay pain. In ancient Turkey, henbane was called beng or benc. Taken as a pill or smoked, it was used to relieve toothaches, earaches, and other maladies. As a toothache remedy, henbane was used to fumigate the mouth. After a patient rinsed his or her mouth with warm water, henbane seeds, which are especially rich in atropine and scopolamine, were sprinkled over hot coals. The rising smoke entered the mouth, alleviating the pain of the toothache.