Anestetici del passato: "spongia soporifera"

Analgesic of the past: spongia soporifera – In order to improve the knowledge of plants used in the past as analgesic and anaesthetic, the authors refer in the current contribute to results coming from a bibliographical research carried out on plants which constituted the ingredients of “spongia soporifera”, a preparation made of a see sponge together with concentrated decoctions of medical plants. The authors analyse the species used for the preparation of “spongia soporifera”, investigating them in historical, botanic, chemical, pharmacological and toxicological aspects.