Evidence supporting the use of: Opium Antidote
For the health condition: Fever
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
Opium Antidote, known historically as Theriac or Mithridate, has a long tradition of use in various cultures as a remedy for numerous ailments, including fever. The rationale for its use in fever was rooted in humoral theory and the belief that complex combinations of ingredients (including opium, spices, and botanical extracts) could restore bodily balance and expel “poisons” or “pestilence.” Medieval and early modern medical texts frequently recommended Theriac for fevers, especially those associated with infectious diseases or “malignant airs.” However, this use was primarily based on tradition, authority, and anecdotal experience rather than empirical or scientific understanding.
Modern scientific research does not support the efficacy of Opium Antidote for fever. While opium itself possesses analgesic and sedative properties, it does not address the underlying causes of fever and can introduce significant risks, including respiratory depression and addiction. The other ingredients in historical Opium Antidotes have not been demonstrated in controlled studies to lower body temperature or treat the causes of fever.
Thus, the use of Opium Antidote for fever is justified by tradition rather than scientific evidence. The historical record reflects its popularity in pre-modern medicine, but contemporary medical practice does not recommend its use for this purpose.
Other ingredients used for Fever
allspicealoe vera
green chiretta
apple
waterhyssop
bamboo
barberry
basil
myrobalan
betel
black cumin
black pepper
radish
blackberry
Indian frankincense
rice
bupleurum falcatum
bасора
cassia bark
chamomile
cinnamon
citrus sinensis (proprietary)
coconut milk
Coptis chinensis
cucumber
turmeric
dog rose
melon
echinacea purpurea
elderberry
ethanol
fennel
feverfew
forsythia
gardenia
ginger
glehnia root
goldenseal
gooseberry
greek mountain tea
onion
heartwood
Indian tinospora
honeysuckle
Japanese sophora
jujube
kudzu
lemon
licorice root
lophatherum leaf
lovage
lychee
mangosteen
milk
moringa
mustard seed
nettle
spruce
orange
oregano
oregon grape
parsley
pear
perilla
phenolic acids
pineapple
plantain
plum fruit
raspberry
rosemary
sage
schizonepeta
scrophularia root
sphaeranthus indicus
sweet wormwood
triphala
watermelon
white willow
zhejiang fritillary
yellow root
boneset
chickweed
catnip
tangerine
typhonium
hyssop
cardamom
papaya
Indian bael
neem tree
nut grass
alpinia galangal
clerodendrum indicum
ferula assafoetida
hedychium spicatum
inula racemosa
anise
pistacia integerrima gall
punarnava
commiphora
paederia foetida
tinospora cordifolia
blackboard tree
caesalpinia crista
fumaria parviflora
rubia cordifolia
swertia
chaff flower
peony
lingusticum wallichii
boxthorne
yarrow
lemongrass
myrrh
silk tree
chrysanthemum
juniper berries
amber
flowering quince
dogwood
dodder
fern
ganoderma
sweet flag
sweetgums
morinda
trichosanthes
zanthoxylum
birch
sheep's sorrel
queen of the meadow
anemarrhena asphodeloides
purslane
eucalyptus
wintergreen
camphor oil
menthol oil
aster root
peach
paw paw
white oak
Sichuan pepper
indigo leaves
cayenne pepper
soursop
Alcohol
Avens
akebia
Apple Cider Vinegar
Agastache
Alseodaphne andersonii
Anamarrhena
Angel's Trumpet
Ardisia
Angelica
Agrimony
Achyranthes
Anamu
Abrus
Alchornea
Asarum heterotropoides
Albizia
Aconite
Asafoetida
Ajuga
Andrographolide
Aerva lanata
Agarwood
American Liverleaf
Aquilegia formosa
Asam gelugor
Andrographis
Alsonia scholaris
Agrimonia pilosa
Acetylsalicylic acid
Aspen
Anemarrhena
Abuta
Alstonia macrophylla
Amor seco
Arani
Arisaema
Asarum sieboldii
Atractylone
Betony
Black Seed
Blue Flag
Bryonia
Baphicacanthus cusia
Blackthorn
Broussonetia
Bulnesia sarmientoi
Blepharis
Balsam
Bishop's Weed
Bayleaf
Butea monosperma
Barleria
Berberis (unspecified)
Bitter Grass
Bougainvillea
Bael
Baccharoides anthelmintica
Banyan
Black willow
Bur-Reed
Black Nightshade
Bombax
Borassus Palm
Buddha's Hand
Borassus aethiopum
Black root
banana
Bupleurum
Baicalin
Bassia scoparia
Burning Bush
Black Hellebore
Balloon Flower
Belamcanda
Bergenia
Bignay
Boerhavia diffusa
Bottle gourd
Borneol
Centaury
Chinese Silkvine
Curry leaf
Calendula
Casearia esculenta
Cinnamomum
Croton seeds
Chinese Mountain Ant
Calotropis gigantea
Carqueja
Clerodendrum trichotomum
Coriander
Clerodendrum phlomidis
Cinquefoil
Cyathula
Citron
Cajuput
Chlorophytum
Cymbopogon Martini
Cinidium
Campylandra fimbriata
Colombo
Centipeda
Cistus
Corktree
Curcuma
Cinchona
Cowslip
Chirata
Chaenomeles lagenaria
Carlina
Calamus
Coin-leaf desmodium
Chinatree
Cosmos
Cynodon dactylon
Costus
Chekiang Fritillary
Carthamus
Celosia
Clerodendrum indicum
Culvers Root
Dianthus
Didymocarpus
DIVI-DIVI
Dragonhead
Devil's Club
Dianthrone
Desmodium
Dichrostachys glomerata
European Elder
Empresstree
Erodium cicutarium
English Horsemint
Echinacea
Elder
Echinodorus
Elephant's Head
Eupatorium
Euphorbia
European-Five Finger Grass
Embelia
Goldthread
Garlic
Galangal
Iris
Lotus
Lily
Little ironweed
Mustard
Mallow
Oak
Orchid
Poppy
Rose
Spikenard
Snakeroot (unspecified)
Sandalwood
Sumac
Sweet Orange alcohol
Vervain
Other health conditions supported by Opium Antidote
Abdominal PainCough (general)
Diarrhea
Dysentery
Fever
Gastritis
Indigestion
Pain (general remedies for)