Venice treacle

Venice treacle, also called Andromachi theriaca, Theriacum Andromachi or treacle of Andromachus, in pharmacy, was a honey- or molasses-based alexipharmic composition once thought to be good against venom. It was first developed in Italy, then exported throughout Europe from Venice.

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Theriaca Andromachi Senioris

The following ingredients for the theriac were taken from d'Amsterdammer Apotheek 1686 and translated from the old Latin names into the Latin names now used where possible. Not all ingredients are known.

Roots: Iris, Balsamorhiza deltoidea, Potentilla reptans (creeping cinquefoil), Rheum rhabarbarum (garden rhubarb), Zingiber, Angustafolia odorata, Gentiana, Meum Athamanticum (spignel), Valeriana, Corydalis cava (hollowroot), Agaricus, Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon), Cinnamomum aromaticum (cassia)

Leaves: Teucrium scordium (water germander), Franxinus excelsior, Clinopodium calamintha (lesser calamint), Marrubium vulgare (white or common horehound), Cymbopogon citratus (West-Indian lemongrass), Teucrium chamaedrys (wall germander), Cupressasae, Laurus nobilis (bay laurel), Polium montanum, Piper nigrum (black pepper), Piper longum (long pepper), Juniperus (juniper), Syzygium aromaticum (clove)

Flowers: Rosa, Crocus sativus, Lavandula stoechas (French lavender), Cenetaurii minoris

Seeds: Brassica napus (rapeseed), Petroselinum (parsley), Nigella sativa, Pimpinella anisum (anise), Elettaria cardamomum, Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), Hypericum perforatum (st. john's wort), seseli, thlaspi, Daucus carota (carrot), Lavandula angustifolia (common or English lavender), Papaver somniverum (opium poppy), glycyrrhiza, Cytinus hypocistis, Acaciae (acacia), Styrax benzoin, Gummi arabicum, Sagapeni (wax of an unknown tree probably some kind of Ferula), Gummi Opopanax chironium, Gummi Ferula foetida, Dead sea bitumen, Commiphora (a tree from which myrrh is derived), incense, Turpentine from Cyprus, Boli armen. Verae (some kind of red clay), Chalciditis (copper containing substance), Castoreum, oil from Myristica fragans (nutmeg), Trochisci Viperarum, Magmatis Hedychroi, Canary Island wine, Narbonne white honey

References

1. This article incorporates content from the 1728 Cyclopaedia, a publication in the public domain.
2. A Glossary of Cookery and Other Terms. The History of English Cookery. Retrieved on 2006-01-13.