Mandrake

Mandrake

In Ancient Greek Texts

• mandragóras (μανδραγόρας) - mandrake
• mela mandragorou (μῆλα μανδραγόρου) - mandrake fruits (literally “apples of mandrake”)

Mandrake is one of the best-attested “heavy” plants in Greek pharmacological tradition: Theophrastus treats it among medicinal plants and preserves lore from rhizotomoi (root-cutters) about effects and handling, and later medical writers treat it as a narcotic/soporific with attention to dosage and adverse effects.

Modern medical-historical reviews explicitly note that ancient authors—spanning from Homeric mythic framing through later technical medicine - describe mandrake as a powerful narcotic/anesthetic and discuss preparations and cautions, which matches the plant’s reputation as a pharmakon that can tip into delirium (or death) at high doses.

In the Ancient Greek biblical texts

Mandrake is a plant surrounded by centuries of myth and folklore across multiple cultures. It’s best known for its bifurcated, vaguely human-shaped root, but chemically it is far more than a curiosity. Mandrake contains potent tropane alkaloids that can act as sedatives, deliriants, and, in high doses, dangerous poisons. Excess ingestion can depress respiration and become fatal, while lower doses may produce blurred vision, loss of coordination, agitation, nausea, and vivid hallucinations. In Genesis 30, Rachel seeks mandrakes in connection with fertility. The text does not describe ingestion directly, and how the plant was actually used remains unclear.

See Also

• Pharmakon