Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey Wiki

Medicine or Medicinal items are items used for healing and protection.

Overview[]

During the course of your exploration; accidents, locations, and/or combat related injuries will arise and lead to negative status effects. Perhaps your hominid eats some rottenDates, or a Black Mamba strikes you, or you fall from a great height. Medicine can be used to remedy these conditions.

Healing[]

Some afflictions will heal themselves over time but some will continue until your death. Break your leg from a large fall and it will heal over time. Get slashed by a Machairodus and you will continue to bleed until you die.

Even though some of these afflictions will cure over time, there are still consequences to not using medicine. Life Expectancy will go down the more times your hominid is harmed and the longer it is harmed. It is best to cure your hominid as quickly as possible to ensure the longest life possible.

There are seven normal negative effects and seven severe versions. Medicine when used correctly will heal these afflictions.

Hunger, Thirst, and Sleepiness are negative status effects but they aren't cured by medicine. Eating, drinking, and sleeping cure these negative status effects.

Protection[]

Medicines can also be used before being afflicted with a negative status effect to give positive status effects or "protections". These protections allow you to endure situations that would normally cause you harm.

Be aware that protections run on a timer and will eventually run out. The protections will also reduce by the amount of damage they stop. Your hominid won't be harmed but the protections will go down instead. You will need to add more protections over time to ensure you aren't going to be harmed by afflictions.

There are six protections that can be gained by using medicines.

There is one specific status effect that doesn't have a protection. Non-Omnivore can only be overcome by eating foods and learning Omnivore neurons. Until you are able to digest the food correctly, the food will act as a negative status effect. Once you can digest that food properly, it will no longer be an issue.

Mechanics[]

Medicine can be used in several specific ways. These are eating, drinking, or applying the medicine.

A few items can be used in multiple ways. You can eat an item and heal one way. You could also apply that item and heal in another way. An example would be Honey which can be applied to heal Bleeding but when eaten it instead heals Venom Poisoning.

A few items offer multiple medicinal properties at the same time. An example would be applying Aloe Sap Paste to heal both Bleeding and Heat at the same time.

Most medicines when used to heal will also have the corresponding protection show up if your hominid isn't afflicted with the negative status effect. An example would be if you aren't Bleeding, applying Horsetail Leaves will confer Bleeding Protection. There are a few items that don't follow this protection rule of thumb but most items do. If you can use the item to heal you, you likely can use it to gain protection.

The more concentrated the medicine, the stronger the benefits. An example of the ability to concentrate medicine isAfrican Turmeric.

  • You can eat African Turmeric to heal a small amount of Venom Poisoning.
  • You can increase the medicinal potency of African Turmeric to the maximum by grinding to createTurmeric Paste which when eaten provides the most healing to Venom Poisoning.

Not all substances can be ground into pastes but those that do make powerful medicines.

Until you are acclimatized to certain foods using omnivore neurons, a small number of medicinal items will cause Non-Omnivore. An example would be eatingBlue Roundhead Fungus Paste before you have acquired the Eumycota Food Acclimatization (OM 01) and Eumycota Food Acclimatization (OM 02) neurons. You will get the medicinal benefits but until you are able to digest mushrooms, you will also acquire non-omnivore when using this medicine.

A small number of medicines will cause Food Poisoning. Only use these solutions when no other options are available as you are trading one problem for another problem. An example would be drinking from a Stagnant Water Source to cure Heat. You will be cured and protected from heat but will be afflicted with food poisoning.

Learning specific neurons increases your abilities with medicines. It is possible to make medicines stronger and last longer by learning neurons.

List of Medicines[]

Listed below are all items that can be used for medicines.

Afflictions
(Negative Status Effects)
Protections
(Positive Status Effects)
Icon Item Action One Two Three Four One Two Three
African Agaric Fungus Eat
African Blue Roundhead Fungus Eat
African Entomopathogenic Fungus Eat
African Turmeric Eat
Aloe Sap Apply
Aloe Sap Paste Apply
Blue Roundhead Fungus Paste Eat
Cracked Coco Drink
Entomopathogenic Fungus Paste Eat
Fresh Water Source Scoop
Giant African Snail Eat
Grinded Khat Eat
Honey Apply
Honey Eat
Horsetail Eat
Horsetail Leaves Apply
Horsetail Paste Apply
Jujube Eat
Kapok Fiber Apply
Kelp Eat
Khat Eat
Mud Apply
Opened Coconut Eat
Pierced Coconut Drink
Salt Water Source Scoop
Stagnant Water Source Scoop
Tumbo Seeds Eat
Turmeric Paste Eat

Neurons[]

The following neurons impact medicine.

Image Neuron Neuronal Branch Genetic
Mutation?
Description
Analgesia (SI 01) Preventive Medication No The protection against injuries lasts longer.
Bleeding Resistance (SB 04) Preventive Medication No One item with clotting properties is now enough to get full protection against haemorrhages.
Bleeding Resistance (SB 05) Preventive Medication No The protection against hemorrhages lasts longer.
Detoxification Efficiency (CT 08) Therapeutic Medication No One curative element is now enough to cure all forms of intoxication.
Endorphins Efficiency (BB SI 01) Preventive Medication Yes Having a full protection against injuries requires fewer items with mending properties.
Endorphins Efficiency (BB SI 02) Preventive Medication Yes Having a full protection against injuries requires fewer items with mending properties.
External Clotting Efficiency (SB 02) Preventive Medication No The protection against haemorrhages lasts longer.
External Clotting Efficiency (SB 03) Preventive Medication No The duration of a full protection against haemorrhages is maximized.
Food Poisoning Resistance (ST 10) Preventive Medication No One item with curative properties is now enough to get full protection against food poisonings.
Food Poisoning Tolerance (ST 07) Preventive Medication No The protection against food poisonings lasts longer.
Food Poisoning Tolerance (ST 08) Preventive Medication No The protection against food poisonings lasts longer.
Food Poisoning Tolerance (ST 09) Preventive Medication No The duration of the food poisonings' protection is maximized.
Hydration-Detoxification Efficiency (BB CT 01) Therapeutic Medication Yes Water consumption reduces the duration of intoxication more effectively.
Hydration-Detoxification Efficiency (BB CT 02) Therapeutic Medication Yes Water consumption reduces the duration of intoxication more effectively.
Hydration-Detoxification Efficiency (BB CT 03) Therapeutic Medication Yes Water consumption reduces the duration of intoxication more effectively.
Laceration Prevention (SB 01) Preventive Medication No The protection against hemorrhages lasts longer.
Nociceptors Tolerance (BB CI 01) Therapeutic Medication Yes The elements used to fight the effects of an injury are more effective.
Nociceptors Tolerance (BB CI 02) Therapeutic Medication Yes The elements used to fight the effects of an injury are more effective.
Nociceptors Tolerance (BB CI 03) Therapeutic Medication Yes The elements used to fight the effects of an injury are more effective.
Prophylactic Ability (ME 01) Metabolism No The shield duration against all poisonings and injuries is longer.
Toxin Immunity (ST 01) Preventive Medication No The protection against intoxication is longer.
Trauma Prevention (SI 02) Preventive Medication No The protection against injuries lasts longer.
Trauma Prevention (SI 03) Preventive Medication No The protection against injuries lasts longer.
Trauma Prevention (SI 04) Preventive Medication No The duration of a protection against injuries is maximized.
Trauma Relief Efficiency (CI 05) Therapeutic Medication No One item with mending properties is now enough to fully recover from an injury.
Trauma Resistance (SI 05) Preventive Medication No One item with mending properties is now enough for a full protection against injuries.
Venom Resistance (ST 05) Preventive Medication No One item with curative properties is now enough for a full venom protection.
Venom Tolerance (ST 02) Preventive Medication No The protection against venom poisoning is longer.
Venom Tolerance (ST 03) Preventive Medication No The protection against venom poisoning is longer.
Venom Tolerance (ST 04) Preventive Medication No The protection against venom poisoning is maximized.
Vitamin K Efficiency (BB SB 01) Preventive Medication Yes Getting a full protection against hemorrhages requires fewer items with clotting properties.
Vitamin K Efficiency (BB SB 02) Preventive Medication Yes Getting a full protection against hemorrhages requires fewer items with clotting properties.
Xenobiotic Metabolism (BB CT 04) Therapeutic Medication Yes The elements used to fight venom poisonings are more effective.
Xenobiotic Metabolism (BB CT 05) Therapeutic Medication Yes The elements used to fight food poisonings are more effective.
Xenobiotic Metabolism (BB OM 01) Omnivore Yes The elements used to eliminate food poisoning are more effective.
Xenobiotic Metabolism (BB OM 02) Omnivore Yes The elements used to fight food poisonings are more effective.
Xenobiotic Metabolism (BB ST 03) Preventive Medication Yes Getting a full protection against venom poisonnings required fewer items with curative properties.
Xenobiotic Metabolism (BB ST 04) Preventive Medication Yes Getting a full protection against food poisoning requires fewer items with curative properties.
Xenobiotic Resistance (BB ST 01) Preventive Medication Yes Getting a full protection against venom poisonnings required fewer items with curative properties.
Xenobiotic Resistance (BB ST 02) Preventive Medication Yes Getting a full protection against food poisoning requires fewer items with curative properties.