καδμεία

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gr. καδμεία

Lat. cadmea, calamina

GENERAL DEFINITION

Cadmia, calamine. Treated or untreated zinc oxide is a basic component of many collyria and, as in this and the following prescription, often comes at the top of the list of ingredients. In medical prescriptions preserved on papyrus it occurs exclusively in recipes for the eyes. Calamine is either a mixture of zinc oxide (ZnO) with about 0.5% ferric oxide (Fe2O3) or a zinc carbonate compound. It is the main ingredient in calamine lotion and is used as an anti-pruritic (anti-itching agent) to treat conditions such as sunburnrashespoison ivypoison oakchickenpox, and insect bites and stings.

A pale pink powdered form of zinc oxide used in skin lotions.

A. LANGUAGE BETWEEN TEXT AND CONTEXT

1-2. Etymology–General Linguistic Section.

Zinc carbonate. From French calamine, from Medieval Latin calamina, corrupted by alchemists from Latin cadmia. From Greek καδμεία (see cadmium).

B. TESTIMONIA - A selection of representative sources

Dioscorides, in his entry on the substance (Mat. med. V 74.2), refers explicitly to its ophthalmological application: χρησιμεύει δὲ πρὸς μὲν τὰ ὀφθαλμικὰ φάρμακα ἡ βοτρυῖτις καὶ ἡ ὀνυχῖτις καλουμένη, αἱ δὲ λοιπαὶ εἰς ἐμπλάστρους καὶ ξηρὰ κατουλοῦν δυνάμενα φάρμακα, καὶ πρὸς ταὐτὰ χρησιμεύει ἡ Κυπρία·(it is useful for the medicaments of the eyes. It is called botyritis, or onychitis. The rest is useful for the plasters, and for this is useful the Kypria). He also mentions its astringent power first of its properties: δύναμιν δὲ ἔχει στυπτικήν, μαλακτικὴν πάσης φλεγμονῆς, μάλιστα δὲ τῆς περὶ ὀφθαλμούς (III 38.11 W: it has an astringent power, and softening for inflammation, and especially for the eyes).

Other ancient discussions of the mineral and the drug obtained from it include Gal. Simpl. IX 3.11 (XII 219.7–21.14 K); Aët. II 57 (CMG VIII.1, 173.3–8 Oliv.); Paul. Aeg. VII 3 (CMG IX.2, 219.4–9 Heib.); Plin. NH XXXIV 100–5.

C. COMMENTARY

Pharmaceutical-grade zinc oxide is a high-purity oxide manufactured by the indirect French process from high-purity zinc metal. It is used in the preparation of ointments, lotions, and cosmetics. Zinc carbonate is a mild astringent to the skin and, as an ingredient of calamine lotion, is used to alleviate skin irritations.

Calamine lotion is a skin protectant. It works by soothing and protecting the skin. It works by its counter-irritant effect. After application to the skin the calamine evaporates, which produces a cooling effect that helps distract you from the itch. This sensation also helps relieve sunburn. Metallic element; its salts are poisonous and little used in medicine but are frequently employed in the basic sciences.

D. BIBLIOGRAPHY

For miscellaneous additional information and further references, see Gazza 1956, 102; Préaux 1956, 140; Nielsen 1974, 32–4; Youtie 1975, 559; Youtie 1976, 124 with n. 14; Andorlini 1981, 65–70; Durling 1993, 187–8; Fournet 1994, 318; Andorlini 1995b, 19 & 23 (PSI Congr. XXI 3.II.5–8n. & III.7n.); Fournet–Magdelaine 2001, 156 (GMP I 14.2n.); Clackson 2004, 77 (PHorak 14.2n.); Maravela–Solbakk, GMP II 7.2n.; Mitthof, GMP II 8, with nn. 36 and 37, p. 131.

E. CPGM reference(s)

GMP I 14.2 (καδμίας); GMP II 4 II.9 (κ]αδμείας), 16 (κ]αδμείας); GMP 5 II.16, III.15, V.4, VI.14, 24; GMP II 7.3.

E. DDbDP reference(s)

P.Horak 14.2 καδμίας(*) (δραχμαὶ) κ; P.Ross.Georg. V 57.V.2 καδμείας; SB XIV 11964.1 κατμίας(*) (δραχμαὶ) κδ; 2.21 καδμίας(*) (δραχμαὶ) ιϛ; SB XXVI 16455.5 καδμείας οὐγκ[ίας   ̣

AUTHOR

Isabella Andorlini

καδμεία
Accepted term: 30-Mar-2015