Galantamine sorceress Circe's drugs. It is believed that moly is the snowdrop "Galanthus nivalis", which is a source of galantamine. The descriptions of moly given by Greek physician and herbalist Dioscorides support moly's identity as "Galanthus nivalis". It has been proposed that the drugs Circe used were an extract from "Datura stramonium" (also known as jimsonweed), which causes memory loss and delirium. This would give a basis for the snowdrop's use as an antidote, as "Datura stramonium" is anticholinergic, while galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Galantamine is indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate vascular dementia and Alzheimer's. In the
Galanthus nivalis numerous named cultivars of "G. nivalis", single, semi-double, double and "poculiform" (meaning goblet or cup-shaped, this refers to flowers with inner segments that are almost the same shape and length as the outer ones). Apart from these traits they differ particularly in the size and markings of the flower and the period of flowering; other characteristics are less obvious to the untrained eye and are mainly of interest to "galanthophiles". In the UK and Ireland, many gardens open specially in February for visitors to admire the flowers. These displays may attract large numbers of sightseers. Some feature extensive displays of