500-year-old horn that held medicine ‘sheds new light’ on early practices, study says

A centuries-old animal horn containing residue of a plant-based medicine “sheds new light” on ancient healing practices in South Africa, according to a new study.

The cattle horn was found in a painted rock shelter in the mountains of South Africa in 2020, according to research published on Jan. 31 in the South African Journal of Science.

Inside the hollow horn, which dates to the 16th century, researchers found an unknown “tough, tacky mass” that likely was once a liquid or gelatinous form of medicine.

Animal horns, in addition to tortoise shells and ostrich eggs, are known to have been used as medicine containers throughout Africa, researchers said.

Upon its discovery, a chemical analysis was conducted on the horn’s mystery residue to determine its components and potential purpose.

Using a machine, a sample of the substance was vaporized into a gas form, allowing for the isolation of various compounds. Several compounds were revealed, including two that were the most prevalent: mono-methyl inositol and lupeol. Both of them have medical applications.

The compounds are naturally occurring and can be found in citrus fruits and legumes, among other plants, researchers said. The myriad of ailments they can be used to treat include high cholesterol, fevers, urinary tract infections and several mood disorders since they trigger the production of serotonin and dopamine.

The multifaceted healing ointment may have been used by the Khoi or San people, farming and hunter-gatherer groups native to South Africa, about 500 years ago, researchers said.

In addition to its likely application for treating physical ailments, the medicine may have also been employed for “supernatural afflictions,” researchers said, adding that “medicine and culture were intimately entwined.”