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
Luzula nivalis is the species's basionym and was used before "L. arctica". "Luzula nivalis" is a relatively small perennial herbaceous plant (or "herb") which grows to heights of between in a caespitose fashion. "L. nivalis "has fibrous roots and ascending rhizomes, older plants have vertical stems either at ground level or underground; the plant base is straw-brown/pale castaneous brown in colour. The plant is subglabrous with erect, aerial stems and numerous alternate basal leaves. These crowded leaves are marcescent, flat, remain for many years, usually up to long and wide." L. nivalis" also has 1–2 cauline leaves which are long; both leaf