Season 2 · Episode 26
The Apothecary Diaries · S2E26
Aired on January 17, 2025
Science entries in this episode
Earthworms in Medicine
Maomao thinks of earthworms as a fever remedy. We explain dilong in traditional Chinese medicine and the lumbrokinases studied in modern pharmacology.
Emmenagogue and Abortive Plants
Jasmine, mugwort, rue, chili pepper: were these plants, said to trigger periods or end a pregnancy, really effective? The history and pharmacology behind them.
The Mantis Ootheca
In The Apothecary Diaries, mantis eggs are seen as an aphrodisiac. We describe the ootheca, its structure, and its use in Chinese medicine.
Spider Silk and Hemostasis
In The Apothecary Diaries, Maomao mentions spider webs to clot blood. We separate the real mechanical effect from the vitamin K myth.