Figs--the earliest known ancient drug for cutaneous anthrax.
BACKGROUND
Anthrax is an often fatal bacterial infection, occurring in cutaneous, inhalational, gastrointestinal, and meningeal forms. Evaluation of anthrax treatment from ancient history may help healthcare providers to handle this serious disease more efficiently.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the biblical descriptions of anthrax, focusing on its therapy in ancient times.


METHODS
All biblical texts associated with anthrax were examined and passages relating to this disease were studied closely.


RESULTS
Biblical passages such as: "Take a cluster of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil [anthrax], and he recovered," and "Let them take a cluster of figs, and lay it upon the boil [anthrax], and he shall recover," convincingly indicate that figs have healing properties in cutaneous anthrax lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of this study, the National Institutes of Health together with the pharmaceutical industry may consider to work on isolation of compounds from fig plants to develop products against cutaneous and possibly other forms of anthrax once screening tests are completed.
Ben-Noun
Liubov Louba
LL
Faculty of Health Sciences, Division of Health in the Community, Department of Family Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 572, Kiryat-Gat 82104, Israel. l-bennun@zahav.net.il
D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000266:history* / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D001633:Bible; D030681:Ficus; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000266:history* / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary