[THE NASCENCY OF DRUG AND FIRST STEPS OF ITS DEVELOPMENT].

Abstract

In this historical review article, the first examples of human attempts to use drugs for the solution of their health problems and the development of the concept of natural toxic (poisonous) substances in the history and prehistoric times, are discussed. It is regarded that, outside of the quelling of the hunger or quenching the thirst, some of our early an- cestors have coincidentally began to distinguish the different effects in some of the natural products in their environment, probably during their nutritional behavior. It is thought that in this way, the awareness for drugs and toxic substances have been raised. In our available sources related to this topic, the first instance in different societies that can be considered as drug seems to belong to different dates, and strikingly the earliest drug samples were found particularly in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and Indian civilizations. It was determined that primarily herbal resources were utilized for the first instance that can be considered as the first drug application in discussed societies. On the other hand, these first natural origin drug samples have been remained in the use of humankind in later centuries and some of them seems to be applied in a certain manner even today.