%materia medica%

‖ [ L. See Matter, and Medical. ] 1. Material or substance used in the composition of remedies; -- a general term for all substances used as curative agents in medicine. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That branch of medical science which treats of the sources, nature and properties of all the substances that are employed for the cure of diseases, primarily with natural preparations, rather than pure or synthetic medicines; pharmacognosy. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]