15世紀の医療器具から、中国の医師が手術中の痛みを和らげるために有毒な植物化合物を使用していた痕跡が見つかった。この発見は、世界で最も古い麻酔使用の化学的証拠となる。
江蘇省で1348年から1411年にかけて活躍した医師、夏全の墓から発見された外科用のハサミとピンセットに、アコニチンの痕跡が付着していた。西安の西北大学の研究チームがレーザー分析を用いてこの化合物を特定した。これらの器具は1974年に出土していたが、化学的な分析が行われたのは最近のことである。
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Researchers at the University of Kent, working with University College London, report that madecassic acid—a compound derived from the medicinal herb Centella asiatica and widely used in skincare—can inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant E. coli by targeting a bacterial respiratory system not found in humans or other animals.
Experiments suggest Neanderthals could have applied birch tar, found at their sites, as an antiseptic for wounds due to its antibiotic properties. Researchers replicated ancient production methods and tested the tar against bacteria causing skin infections. The findings build on evidence of Neanderthals using medicinal plants.
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Chemists at the University of Bristol analyzed the air around tiny fragments of Egyptian mummies to identify volatile organic compounds linked to embalming materials. The study, covering remains from 3200 BC to 395 AD, found 81 distinct compounds from oils, resins, beeswax, and bitumen. These clues show mummification practices grew more complex over time.
Chinese scientists have used an AI model to determine the chemical make-up of the moon's far side, offering new insights into one of lunar science's enduring mysteries. The findings add to insights from China's historic Chang'e-6 mission to the lunar far side in 2024.
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Hong Kong customs officers seized 6.5kg of suspected drugs worth HK$3.4 million (US$433,800) and arrested two men in separate operations earlier this week. The Customs and Excise Department said the first arrest took place at Hong Kong International Airport, where 3.1kg of suspected ketamine was found in a 43-year-old man's baggage from Bangkok; the second involved 1.7kg each of suspected cocaine and methamphetamine in Yau Ma Tei.