Galantamine bulbs of "Galanthus nivalis" (common snowdrop) by the Bulgarian chemist D. Paskov and his team in 1956. The active ingredient was extracted, identified, and studied, in particular in relation to its acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-inhibiting properties. The first industrial process was developed in 1959. In addition to uses in Alzheimer's disease, galantamine has been used to treat myasthenia, myopathy, muscular dystrophy, and sensory and motor dysfunction associated with disorders of the central nervous system. In Homer's "Odyssey" the god Hermes gives Odysseus an herb with "a black root, but milklike flower" called "moly", which Hermes claims will make Odysseus immune to the
Caladenia nivalis description was published in "Nuytsia". The specific epithet ("nivalis") is a Latin word meaning "snowy" or "of snow" referring to the bright white flowers of this species. The exotic spider orchid occurs between Cape Naturaliste and Moses Rock in the Jarrah Forest and Warren biogeographic regions where it grows in peppermint woodland, coastal heath and in granite crevices. "Caladenia nivalis" is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. Caladenia nivalis Caladenia nivalis, commonly known as the exotic spider orchid or crystalline spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of