The Name of Hippophaes

Although in modern Greece Hippophaes has been used for the last two years, in antiquity its use was very widespread. Relevant references exist in texts of Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle, but mainly of Dioscorides, the father of Pharmacology. It owes its name to the troops of Alexander the Great, who noticed that the sick and wounded horses that ate the leaves and fruits of the plant recovered faster, gained more strength, while their hair grew stronger and brighter. They named it Hippophaes, which in modern Greek means bright, shining horse (horse: horse, phaos: light, shine).