In 1570 Francisco Hernandez was sent from Spain to study the natural resources of New Spain (now Mexico). herbal essences Here he drew on indigenous sources, including the extensive botanical gardens that had been established by the Aztecs, to record plants in his Rerum Medicarum of 1615. Nicolas Monardes’ Dos Libros contains the first published illustration of tobacco. herbal life products Statue of Theophrastus , Orto botanico di Palermo Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome dietary supplement Further information: Ancient Egyptian medicine, Ancient Greek medicine, and Medicine in ancient Rome By about 2000 medical papyri in ancient Egypt included medical prescriptions based on plant matter and made reference to the herbalist's combination of medicines and magic for healing.