Pharmakeia

"...For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived."

—Revelation 18:23

Sorcery in the Greek is translated to Pharmakeia.

I was reading an article in a health newsletter when I was reminded of this. Makes complete sense to me.

I'm of the notion that every seed bearing-herb was put here for the
benefit of mankind. So what would have been considered pharmaceuticals
in ancient times?

very good point and I couldn't agree more.

Originally it was the shaman or holy man was the one who practiced medicine in non-western civilization.

If one knows anything about symbolism, he merely has to look at the modern universal symbol for medicine to see that it came from the occult.

here's an article a found on the subject. It's a tad 'out there,' yet, I find some of the parts illustrate some interesting ideas.

http://www.theopenscroll.com/pharmakeia.htm