- The plant of Open Sesame fame was not only considered a magic plant, which could open caves and hidden passages, but also an important health herb from the Orient. The seed of the sesame plant ( Sesamum indicum ), native to Asia Minor and tropical regions, soaked in sparrow eggs and cooked in milk, was used for centuries as an aphrodisiac; sesame oil was applied externally as a cosmetic; it was mixed with vinegar as an ointment for the forehead to strengthen the brain, and blended with crow's