It was probably the highly colored nature of alkannin that first captured the attention of botanists. Its use as a dyestuff for fabrics almost certainly dates back centuries BC. Perhaps the first recorded use of Alkanna tinctoria roots is found in the works of the Greek doctor and philosopher Hippocrates (4th and 5th centuries BC) who described their use for the treatment of ulcers. The botanist and scholar Theophrastus (3rd and 4th centuries BC) also alluded to their application as dyes and medicines. Alexander the Great was known to have employed doctors trained in herbal medicine, and it thus seems likely that the medicinal properties of Alkanna tinctoria root were used to treat the sick and injured during his campaigns.
