From the ancient time, 'Spices' have been as sought after as gold. They have played a prominent role in the entire civilisation. In ancient China, India, Rome, majority of the Spices originated from Asiatic tropics. Spices otherwise called as "accessories" or "adjuncts". The word 'spices' refers to dried and hard portion of the plant parts. Spices are valued in cookery and confectionery in the preparation of beverages and liquors, cosmetics, and perfumes. Several of them are of special importance in medicine, on account of their effect in aiding digestion by increasing the gastric juice; the appropriateness of spices to sacred uses such as burning of incense has long been recognised. The spices are obtained from the various parts of the plant like the roots, barks, buds, flowers, fruits, seeds and stem of several plant species.

Myristica fragrans
(Nutmeg - Jadikai (Tamil))

   In all ages and all countries man has smoked or chewed various substances for some physiological effect in connection with their religious ceremonies or in an attempt to seek some flight from reality. The majority of these materials have a distinct stimulating or even narcotic effect due to the presence of alkaloids. Tobacco and cola are the least harmful of these drugs. It is a different matter, however when it was considered with the late rivals of tobacco, ergot, opium, and cannabis. These true narcotics contain alkaloids that are detrimental even in small amounts. When used in large quantity they may lead the addict to the lowest depths of depravity and degradation and cause coma, convulsions and even death.

  This is commonly called the 'True hemp plant'; belongs to the family 'Cannabinaceae' and is an angiosperm member. The plant is an annual, branched and bears largely palmately compound leaves. The plant is dioecious. It is smoked as well as consumed as a beverage. 'Ganja', is produced from the dried and powdered young female inflorescence and young leaves. A part of the dried plant is kept in the drug show-case in the Economic Botany Gallery.

    Mankind has used plants in an attempt to cure diseases and relieve physical suffering. Primitive people in all ages had some knowledge of medicinal plants derived as a result of trial and error. In all the early civilisation there was much interest in medicinal plants. Indians, Chinese, Assyrians, Babylonians and Egyptians were all familiar with their use. They knew many of the present day drugs as evidenced by the works of Aristotle, Hippocrates, Pythagoras and Theophrastus. In 77 BC. Dioscorides wrote his great treatise, "De Materia Medica", which dealt with nature and properties of all medicinal plants known at that time. For fifteen centuries, it was held in high esteem and is valued even today.

   The plant is a twiner member of an Angiosperm. It belongs to the family 'Asclepiadaceae', widely distributed in tropical regions. Plant roots are stimulant, emetic, cathartic, expectorant and stomachic. Leaves contain alkaloids, tylophorin, which cause dermatitis. The plant is displayed as herbarium and also in the form of tylorin capsule in the 'Drugs' show-case, in the Economic Botany Gallery.