{"id":4943,"date":"2022-04-01T16:03:57","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T14:03:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ichthyol.de\/history\/"},"modified":"2024-02-07T13:50:04","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T12:50:04","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ichthyol.de\/en\/company\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"
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[vc_custom_heading text=”From prehistory to the modern age” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

The history of the active ingredient Ichthyol\u00ae began 200 million years ago and is still relevant. Products with Ichthyol\u00ae remain current today, for example as an alternative to antibiotics and cortisone. For around 150 years, the Ichthyol-Gesellschaft has been using the “power from the mountain” to develop effective and sustainable medicines.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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200 million years ago<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>

At the time of the dinosaurs, the area of today’s Jura Mountains and the Tyrolean Alps was covered by a tropical shallow sea, the Tethys Primordial Sea. Over 50 million years, animal and plant matter were deposited on the seabed and covered by sediment layers consisting of shell and coral particles. Under the resulting high pressure, a limestone interspersed with organic substances formed – the so-called “oil shale rock”. Traces of life at this time can still be found today in the Jura and Alpine rocks -such as in the form of fossil fish, plants or dinosaur footprints.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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10 to 2 million years ago<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The African continental plate moved northwards and caused the folding of the Alps and the flat sedimentary layers of the Jura Mountains with tremendous force. The oil shale layers were also being pushed upwards – in the Tyrolean Seefeld -up to an altitude of 1800 metres.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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Antiquity<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Famous physicians of antiquity, such as Pliny and Galen, mention in their writings a versatile remedy obtained from “gagate stone” and “oil stone”.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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1537<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Legendary Tyrsen blood<\/strong><\/p>\n

Around 1500, doctors at the princely court in Innbruck were already familiar with the Seefeld slate oil as a remedy under the name “Tyrsen blood”. According to legend, the brown-red oil slate stones are soaked in the blood of the giant Tyrsus, who was slain by the giant Haymon in a brutal duel. A fresco from 1537 on the wall of a house in Leithen still tells of this legend.<\/p>\n

The fresco depicting the battle of the giants has been painted over several times throughout history and was finally restored on behalf of the Ichthyol Company. The text reads: In this house the peasant giant Tyrsus was born in the 9th century. The knightly giant Haymon also lived there at that time. The two giants were always at odds and finally Tyrsus was killed by Haymon in a duel. Haymon was stricken with remorse and founded the Wilten monastery as atonement, where he entered as a penitent. Tyrsus’ last words as he fled over the mountains were: “Go forth, innocent blood, and do good for animals and men!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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1879<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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In 1879 the chemist Rudolf Schr\u00f6ter came across oil shale rock during excursions in the Tyrolean Karwendel Mountains, from which inhabitants of the Seefeld area produced a dark oil with a sulphur-like smell. This ” Dirschen\u00f6l” had been known for a long time as a remedy for humans and animals. Schr\u00f6ter’s interest was aroused – he was convinced that medicines could be developed from this oil. His enthusiasm was rewarded- the process he invented to convert the oil into a water-soluble form made it possible for the first time to use it in pharmaceutical ointments and creams.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Inspired by the primeval fossils in the rock, Schr\u00f6ter gave the water-soluble oil the name Ichthyol\u00ae<\/strong> – derived from the Greek “ichthys”<\/em> for fish and the Latin “oleum”<\/em> for oil.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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1882<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The famous dermatologist Prof. Dr. Paul Gerson Unna<\/strong> from Hamburg published his first therapeutic successes with Ichthyol\u00ae in the treatment of skin diseases\u00b9<\/sup>. He enthusiastically described the anti-inflammatory, pain, and itch-relieving properties of the dark active ingredient.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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1: Unna, P.G., 1882. IV. Ichthyol: Monatshefte f\u00fcr Praktische Dermatologie. S. 328-333.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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1882<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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1882 saw the granting of the patent to produce Ichthyol\u00ae.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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1884<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The merchants Heinrich Cordes and Gustav Hermanni founded the Ichthyol company Cordes, Hermanni & Co. in Hamburg together with the chemist Rudolf Schr\u00f6ter. The marketing of dark Ichthyol\u00ae as an active ingredient for use in medicines begins.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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1925<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The black Ichtholan\u00ae<\/a> drawing ointments are introduced to the market. Ichtholan\u00ae is still the best-selling drawing ointment for the treatment of superficial and deep skin inflammations, such as abscesses\u00b2<\/sup>. The black ointments are also used in the treatment of orthopaedic diseases such as arthritis<\/a>\u00a0and sports injuries<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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2: Absatz Apotheken, Insight Health, MAT 06\/22<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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