The Jesuit João de Loureiro (1717-1791) and the medicinal plants of China

Manuel Serrano Pinto – University of Aveiro, Portugal, mspinto@ua.pt

Wang Bing – Institute for the History of Natural Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China wangb45@sohu.com

Noël Golvers – University of Leuven, Belgium, Noel.Golvers@arts.kuleuven.be

Rui Manuel Loureiro – New University of Lisbon, Portugal, descobrimentos@gmail.com

Rosa Pinho – University of Aveiro, Portugal, rpinho@ua.pt

General plan of the presentation

1. Introduction

2. Short bio-bibliographic note on Loureiro

3. Flora Cochinchinensis and the Chinese medicinal plants

3.1. General characterization of the book3.2. The medicinal uses of the plants from China3.3. Loureiros’s herbaria and the medicinal plants3.4. Criticisms to Loureiros’s botanical work

4. A tentative comparison to Li Shizhen’s Bencao Gangmu

5. Concluding remarks

João de Loureiro’s biographic sketch 1717 – Born in Lisbon. Studied in the religious college of S. Antão1732 – Entered the Society of Jesus1735 – Went to Goa as a missionary1738 – Went to Macao as a missionary1742 – Went to Cochinchina as a Jesuit astronomer-missionary Interested in medicinal plants used by local people. Botanical studies based successively on Dioscorides’ and Linneus’works. Became official naturalist and astronomer of the court. Mounted an astronomical observatory in the royal palace1750-1752 – Out of Cochinchina due to religious persecutions. Botanical studies in the Philippines and Sumatra~1753 – Returned to Cochinchina. More botanical studies1777 – Went to Canton (Guangdong). Botanical studiesWhen in Asia he was invited in 1780 to go to London by Joseph Banks (but declined the invitation) and was made a member of the Royal Society1781 – Return to Portugal. Spent 3 months in Mozambique: botanical studies.In Lisbon was made a member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences1790 – Flora Cochinchinensis published by the Lisbon Academy of Sciences1791 – Died in Lisbon. Left herbarium, drawings, letters, etc. to the Academy 1793 – German edition of Flora Cochinchinensis published in Berlin

Table 3 – Medicinal properties of some plants from Flora Cochichinensis and from Bencao Gangmu

Scientific name in Flora

Cochichinensis

Chinese name

Pinyin Medicinal properties in Flora

Cochichinensis

Medicinal properties in

Bencao Gangmu

Common names in

English

Polygonum hydropiper L.

水蓼 shuĭ liăo Acrid; stimulant; cauterizing properties

茎叶辛无毒。主治蛇伤，止蛇毒入腹心闷。又治脚气肿痛成疮。

Smartweed

Coriandrum sativum L.

芫荽、胡荽、香荽

yán sui oryán sūi*

Seeds: soporific; carminative 根叶辛温微毒。主治消谷，治五脏，通小腹气，止头痛，辟蛊毒恶气。子辛酸平无毒。主治消谷能食，蛊毒五痔。

Coriander and others

Croton tiglium L. 巴豆 bā dòu Seeds: purgative; emetic; emmenagogue; treatment of womb obstruction, of dropsy and of the alteration of the body humours

辛温有毒。主治伤寒温疟寒热，积滞泻痢，破血排脓消肿。

Croton and others

Datura metel L. [ 白 ]曼陀罗（花） bái màn tuó luó

Seeds: soporific; inebriant, antispasmodic; treatment of asthma crises. Leaves: treatment of haemorrhoidal pain, burns and corrosive ulcers

花、子，辛温有毒。主治诸风及寒湿脚气。又主惊痫及脱肛，并入麻药。

Angel’s trumpet and others

Dichroa febrifuga Lour.

[ 黄 ]常山 huáng cháng shān

Roots and leaves: febrifuge, treatment of tertian and quartian fevers; emetic

苦寒有毒。主治伤寒寒热，温疟鬼毒，胸中痰结。治诸疟，吐痰涎。

Chinese quinine and other

Kaempferia galanga L.

山奈 shān nài Stomachic; good for headaches; diaphoretic; effective against contagious diseases

根辛温无毒。主治暖中，辟瘴疠恶气。治心腹冷痛，寒湿霍乱，牙痛。

Galanga and others

Stemona tuberosa Lour.

[对叶 ]百部 dùi yè băi bù Roots: expectorant; refreshing; demulcent; treatment of lungs’ illness, of phthisis, of chronic cough

根甘微温无毒。主治咳嗽上气。治肺热润肺。

Wild asparagus and other

ConclusionsThe importance of Loureiro’s botanical studies may be summarized as

follows: 1) They are among the pioneering ethno-botanical studies in China made

by Westerns and have contributed to the progress of botany in general and of Chinese botany in particular;

2) Through herbaria, drawings and written descriptions, he made known to Europe for the first time many Chinese plants and promoted the transfer of some plants from China to Europe;

3) Having corresponded with Western botanists Loureiro played an important role in the West-East scientific exchange in the 18th century in the field of botany;

4) The medicinal and several other uses of many plants were made known to Europe;

5) In comparing the medicinal properties of plants as given in Flora; Cochinchinensis and as given in Bencao Gangmu differences are seen mostly due to different ideas on their applications and also due to differences on the medicinal knowledge in China and in Europe;

6) Loureiro’s studies should be seen in the framework of the European Enlightment and also in the framework of the physiocratic ideas prevailing at the time.