galenical

Galenical refers to medicines prepared from natural substances using extraction, infusion, evaporation, or combination, intended for internal or topical use. The term derives from Galen, the prominent 2nd-century Greek physician, and entered English through Latin galenicus. In historical pharmacology, galenical preparations included tinctures, decoctions, infusions, syrups, extracts, pills, ointments, plasters, and poultices, commonly made by apothecaries or physicians to treat a wide range of conditions.

Galenical medicines are distinguished from chemically synthesized drugs or modern pharmaceuticals that rely on isolated active ingredients and standardized dosages. They emphasize the use of whole herbs, plant materials, or animal-derived substances and their processing to achieve a therapeutic preparation. Classic examples include laudanum (opium tincture), remedies based on honey or alcohol as carriers, and plant-based syrups or ointments.

With advances in chemistry, pharmacology, and regulatory standardization in the late 19th and 20th centuries, the term 'galenical' fell from routine use in scientific medicine, though it retains relevance in the history of pharmacy and in discussions of pharmacognosy and traditional medicine. Today, the idea survives in the notion of galenic formulations or galenic pharmacy as historical or educational references to how natural substances were transformed into medicines.

In summary, galenical describes pre-synthetic medicine prepared from natural materials through extraction and combination, forming the historical foundation of how drugs were historically delivered to patients.