Mumijo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from other articles related to it. (June 2007) |
Mumijo (also denoted as mumio) is a thick, sticky tar-like substance with a colour ranging from white to dark brown (the latter is more common), sometimes found in Caucasus mountains, Altai mountains and Tibet mountains.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
Mumijo is a word of Greek origin. The substance is mentioned in the works of Aristotle and Avicenna as a remedy with antiseptic and general stimulant properties used in Caucasus mountains. Most scientists agree that people observed wounded animals frequenting caves with mumijo and so discovered the substance. Similar substances are used for medicinal purposes throughout Tibet.
Some scientific research on mumijo has been done in the USSR, including full-scale clinical trials. Most information on mumijo is known from Russian sources.
[edit] Composition
It is still unclear whether it has geological or biological origin as it has numerous traces of vitamins and aminoacids. A mumijo-like substance from Antartica was found to contain glycerol derivatives and was also believed to have medicinal properties.[1]
[edit] Medicinal use and properties
Mumijo is not toxic, at least in reasonable quantities. Research suggested that mumijo has antiseptic and stimulant properties, so it tends to increase wound healing rate and produce better results. Two commercial mumijo-based drugs were developed and at least three conference on post-operational application of mumijo were held.
Mumijo should not be confused with balsams and thick herbal extract, sometimes advertised as "herbal mumijo"; at least part of its healing properties arise from mineral base.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=18996940&log$=activity Mumijo Traditional Medicine: Fossil Deposits from Antarctica (PubMed)
