The Mexica had a sophisticated knowledge of herbal remedies, and they used a wide range of plants, animals, and minerals to treat a remarkable variety of ailments. The Mexica had a particular interest in the medicinal properties of plants, and they cultivated a wide range of medicinal herbs in the chinampas and in the gardens of the major temples. The most important source of information about Mexica herbal medicine is the Badianus Manuscript, an Aztec herbal prepared in 1552 by Martín de la Cruz and translated into Latin by Juan Badiano, which includes descriptions of over 200 medicinal plants and their uses.
The Most Important Medicinal Plants
The Mexica used a wide range of medicinal plants, and the most important included the tzompitzahuac (a plant used to treat respiratory ailments), the ahuehuete (a tree used to treat wounds and skin diseases), the tlapatl (a plant used to treat fevers), and the chapulistle (a plant used to treat digestive ailments). The Mexica also used the peyote, a cactus with hallucinogenic properties, in the religious rituals, and the tobacco, which was used for a wide range of medicinal purposes.
The Mexica were skilled in the preparation of the medicinal plants, and they used a variety of techniques, including infusions, decoctions, poultices, salves, and powders. The Mexica also used a variety of animal and mineral materials in their remedies, including honey, wax, animal fats, and mineral salts. The Mexica had a sophisticated understanding of the dosage and the preparation of the remedies, and they were able to use them effectively to treat a wide range of ailments.
The Badianus Manuscript
The most important source of information about Mexica herbal medicine is the Badianus Manuscript, an Aztec herbal prepared in 1552 by Martín de la Cruz and translated into Latin by Juan Badiano. The manuscript is the earliest medical text from the Americas, and it includes descriptions of over 200 medicinal plants and their uses. The manuscript is now preserved in the Vatican Library, and it provides a detailed account of the Mexica approach to medicine.
The Badianus Manuscript is particularly important because it preserves the indigenous perspective on Mexica medicine. The manuscript was prepared by indigenous physicians in the years after the Spanish conquest, and it was an attempt to preserve the Mexica medical knowledge for the benefit of the Spanish rulers. The manuscript is now considered to be one of the most important documents of Mesoamerican medicine, and scholars continue to study it closely.
The Use of the Remedies
The Mexica used the herbal remedies in a variety of ways, and the remedies were prepared in different forms depending on the ailment. The Mexica used infusions and decoctions to treat internal ailments, and they used poultices and salves to treat external ailments. The Mexica also used the remedies in combination with ritual healing techniques, and the remedies were often accompanied by prayers and offerings to the gods.
The Mexica had a sophisticated understanding of the dosage and the preparation of the remedies, and they were able to use them effectively to treat a wide range of ailments. The Mexica physicians were also skilled in the diagnosis of illness, and they used a variety of techniques to determine the cause of the ailment and the appropriate treatment.
The Survival of the Mexica Herbal Remedies
Many of the Mexica herbal remedies have survived in the modern Mexican folk medicine, and the indigenous healers, called curanderos, continue to practice the Mexica medical tradition in modified form. The modern Mexican folk medicine, which combines elements of the Mexica tradition, the Spanish tradition, and the African tradition, is evidence of the long history of medical practice in Mexico.
The modern Mexican pharmaceutical industry has also drawn on the Mexica herbal tradition, and many of the plants that were used by the Mexica are now being studied for their potential medical applications. The persistence of the Mexica herbal tradition in the face of intense Spanish pressure ranks among the great survivals of Mexican culture.
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