An international research team coordinated by Sapienza University of Rome has identified for the first time in Europe the presence of ginger (Zingiber officinalis) in individuals from medieval times suffering from Hansen's disease, better known as leprosy. The results were obtained through the identification of plant-derived micro remains trapped within dental tartar taken from skeletal remains from the English leprosarium in Peterborough. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, is the result of a collaboration between the DANTE - Diet and Ancient Technology laboratory of the Department of Odontostomatological and Maxillofacial Sciences at La Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the English universities of Durham, Warwick and Nottingham, and is part of the research strand of the MEDICAL project - Medical treatments in medieval leprosaria. Exploring healing remedies through dental calculus analysis - funded by the EU and undertaken with support from the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions program.
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