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Almost 2000 years ago a young Roman woman living with coeliac disease was struggling to stay healthy 鈥� so she may have turned to traditional Chinese medicine in the hope of relief. Chemical residues found in her dental plaque suggest she took ginseng and turmeric, possibly to relieve intestinal problems. As both plants are native to south and east Asia, the find hints at an ancient trade in medicinal plants.

The woman鈥檚 skeleton was unearthed in 2008 at a site in Cosa, Tuscany. She was about 20 years old when she died, and was buried with gold jewellery suggesting a wealthy background 鈥� but she had signs of malnutrition and bone loss.

When researchers examined her DNA about a decade ago, they found that she carried versions of immune system genes associated with a high risk of developing coeliac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which people experience symptoms such as abdominal pain when they eat gluten-rich foods. Coeliac disease can result in bone loss. This woman is one of the earliest known cases of the disease.

Now, a team led by Angelo Gismondi and Antonella Canini at the Tor Vergata University of Rome, Italy, have examined the plaque that built up on her teeth, which can trap food particles and chemical residues.

The team identified tiny starch particles as coming from wheat or a closely related plant, which suggests the woman consumed gluten-rich foods that would have triggered autoimmune attacks.

Chemical analysis of the plaque revealed organic molecules that the researchers say are typical markers of local herbal remedies, including mint and valerian 鈥� both recommended by Greek and Roman medics of the time as a treatment for stomach ache.

More surprisingly, the researchers also found chemical traces that they say are typical markers of turmeric and ginseng. It is unlikely that either plant grew in Italy at the time, but both have traditionally been used as medicines in south and east Asia to treat conditions including digestive problems.

The researchers say this suggests there was trade in medicinal plants and medical knowledge between the Mediterranean and south and east Asia 2000 years ago.

鈥淚n a world without modern medicine people would use whatever remedies they thought would work,鈥� says Eivind Heldaas Seland at the University of Bergen in Norway. There are some ancient Greek and Roman literary references to turmeric as a medicine. 鈥淏ut to my knowledge [such use] has not been attested archaeologically before,鈥� he says.

It is certainly possible that ginseng might also have reached Rome, says Matt Fitzpatrick at Flinders University, Australia. Land-based routes including the famous Silk Road were operational, and goods might also have reached Rome via Indian Ocean trade routes 鈥� 鈥渁lthough [ginseng] is not mentioned in Roman medical texts,鈥� he says.

While this doesn鈥檛 imply it was never used in ancient Italy, it does mean that researchers need to present very strong evidence in favour of its use there. But Marco Leonti at the University of Cagliari in Italy says the study doesn鈥檛 provide enough detail about the chemical analysis for other researchers to judge the strength of the evidence.

Gismondi and Canini dispute this, pointing out that their team鈥檚 analysis revealed the presence of several chemical compounds that can be ascribed to turmeric and several more that indicate ginseng.

We do know that ginseng was used medicinally in China 2000 years ago, says Miranda Brown at the University of Michigan.

The new study isn鈥檛 the first to suggest there was contact between east and west Eurasia 2000 years ago or even earlier. Brown points out that some scholars have noted similarities in Ancient Greek and Chinese art in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD suggesting a trade in artistic traditions. 鈥淪o why not drugs too?鈥�