1300-year-old Antidepressant Drugs Unearthed in Istanbul

Researchers carrying out excavation work at the ancient Greek city of Bathonea based in the Avcilar district of Istanbul have surprisingly found 700 tiny ceramic and glass bottles containing traces of drugs related to depression and heart ailments, according to Turkey's Hurriyet Daily News. The researchers are of the opinion that the findings come from the seventh century AD or even earlier. It's possible that the laboratory was vandalized in 626 AD when the Avar Empire in Istanbul was attacked, as could be seen by a fire layer dating between 620 AD and 640 AD.

The medications found in the 700 bottles consisted of methanone (an antidepressant) and phenanthrene (used to cure heart disease), according to the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey. Both these drugs were made from local plants, which were also discovered during the excavation. Archaeologists also stumbled upon pestles, a large cooker, and a mortar along with spatulas and medical tools. The findings support the fact that drug production in those days was done on a large scale and was even operational in the cold wintry months, said Sengul Aydingun, team leader of the excavation.

Evidence of depression dates back to the second millennium BC. The ancient Romans and Greeks were of the view that it was caused on account of possession by evil spirits and not by physical or environmental factors.

The discovery is also a tangible proof of the scale of attacks on the soils of Istanbul by their enemies. The carbon samples are being examined by Wroclaw Archeology and Ethnography Institute in Poland, and the findings could have great implications on the history of the country as they could provide strong evidence for the Avar invasions. Digging at the site started in 2007, and it's likely that there is presence of extra artifacts deeper in the lake. However, digging has been prevented. Approximately, 90 percent of the water contains nuclear, sewage and industrial waste, stated Aydingun.