Preprint / Version 1

Teodorico Borgognoni’s Formulary for Thirteenth Century Anesthetic Preparations

Authors

  • Valeria Cavalloro Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected]
  • Francesca Soddu Neuroimmunology Laboratory, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected]
  • Sandro Baroni Maimeri Foundation, Corso Cristoforo Colombo 15, 20144 Milano, Italy; [email protected]
  • Francesco Cuna Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected] (F.S.R.d.C.); [email protected] (S.C.)
  • Eleonora Tavazzi Multiple Sclerosis Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected]
  • Emanuela Martino Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected]
  • Simona Collina Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected] (F.S.R.d.C.); [email protected] (S.C.)

Keywords:

Teodorico Borgognoni, ethnobotany, anesthesia

Abstract

Teodorico Borgognoni was born in Lucca in 1205 and was appointed bishop of Bitonto and Cervia in 1262 and 1270. Following his father, he learned the art of surgery and collected relevant recipes in his most important work, entitled Cyrurgia seu filia principis. Among the disciplines reported in this work, the most interesting and innovative is anesthesia. The recipes in this field contribute to Borbognoni’s consideration as the forerunner of modern anesthesia. Such recipes have been reported in other manuscripts from the Middle Ages, like Manuscript No. 1939. In the present work, we investigate the traditional preparations handed down in this manuscript, focusing on type of preparation and botanical ingredients. The results highlight that exploited ingredients can be divided into three groups: the first comprises plants already known for their narcotic effects, the second includes ingredients acting as an adjuvant for absorption or reducing the metabolism, and the last group includes ingredients not associated with biological activity to explain their presence in anesthetic recipes. This third group is of particular interest for future biological investigations. Our goal is to rekindle attention to the work of Teodorico Borgognoni on traditional preparation for anesthetic purposes: a topic often underestimated by ethnobotanical surveys. Keywords: Teodorico Borgognoni, ethnobotany, anesthesia

Author Biographies

Valeria Cavalloro, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected]

Formal analysis, Writing – original draft

Francesca Soddu, Neuroimmunology Laboratory, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected]

Methodology, Formal analysis

Sandro Baroni, Maimeri Foundation, Corso Cristoforo Colombo 15, 20144 Milano, Italy; [email protected]

Formal analysis, Investigation

Francesco Cuna, Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected] (F.S.R.d.C.); [email protected] (S.C.)

Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing

Eleonora Tavazzi, Multiple Sclerosis Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected]

Writing – review & editing

Emanuela Martino, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected]

Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing, Supervision

Simona Collina, Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected] (F.S.R.d.C.); [email protected] (S.C.)

Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing, Supervision

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