[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Science, technology and education](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science) › [The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877) › c4.s1 # The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s1: Material Objects and Classification of Medicines The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s1 - **Language:** English ### Material Objects and Classification of Medicines ### [c4.s1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.1) Charaka divides material objects into three classes, namely, mineral, animal and vegetable. Minerals consist of gold, silver and other metals; diamond, emerald and other gems; realgar, orpiment and other ores; and the various sorts of earths. Vegetables are divided into four classes, namely, \*Vanaspati\*, \*Vriksha\*, \*Virudh\* and \*Oshadhi\*. Those plants which produce fruits, without first showing their flowers, are called \*Vanaspati\*. Plants which produce fruits from flowers, which are known by their flowers and fruits, and which wave small branches from their trunks, are called \*Vriksha\*. Plants which during their growth are supported by other plants, are called \*Virudh\*, \*Pratánavatya\* or \*Valli\*. Lastly, those grasses, etc., which die after maturing their fruits, are called \*Oshadhi\*. Animals are divided into four classes, namely, \*Jaráyuja\* or mammalia, \*Andaja\* or oviparous, \*Svedaja\* or those produced from animal excretions, as parasites, etc., and \*Udbhijja\* or those produced under ground or from vegetable matter, as for example \*Indragopa\*, a sort of red insect. ### [c4.s1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.2) All parts of vegetables may be used in medicine, namely, Root, as of \*Chitraka\* (\*Plumbago Zeylanica\*). Underground stem, as of \*Surana\* (\*Amorphophallus campanulatus\*). Leaves, as of \*Vásaka\* (\*Justicia Adhatoda\*). Fruits, as the three Myrobalans. Flowers, as of \*Dhátaki\* (\*Woodfordia floribunda\*). Extract, as Catechu, Opium, etc. Bark, as of \*Kurchi\* (\*Holarrhena antidysenterica\*). Wood, as of \*Dárvi\* (\*Berberis Asiatica\* or \*aristata\*). ### [c4.s1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.3) Gum, as Myrrh, Assafœtida, etc. Sometimes the entire plant is used as \*Kaṇṭakári\* (\*Solanum Xanthocarpum\*). ### [c4.s1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.4) The skin, hair, wool, nails, horns, hoofs, milk, bile, honey, fat, marrow, blood, flesh, urine, fæces, semen, bones and nerves of animals are all used in medicine. ### [c4.s1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.5) Susruta divides remedial agents into two classes, namely, \*Párthiva\* or material and \*Kálakrita\* or effected by time, such as wind, sun-shine, shade, moon-light, darkness, heat, cold, rain, day and night, changes of the moon, months and seasons of the year, etc. These are all said to affect the humours of the body, and, through them, the diseases caused by their derangement. The influence of these agents, if properly regulated or availed of, sometimes cures diseases, without the aid of material remedies. ### [c4.s1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.6) Sanskrit writers do not agree in the mode in which they classify medicines when describing their properties. Charaka divides medicines into fifty classes, according to their supposed action on the different organs of the system, or on particular symptoms of disease. These classes are as follows:— ### [c4.s1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.7) 1. जीवनी \*Jívaníya\*—Medicines which prolong life. 2. बृंहणीय \*Vrinhaníya\*—Medicines which promote nutrition and increase corpulency. 3. लेखनीय \*Lekhaníya\*—Medicines which thin the tissues, or reduce corpulency. 4. भेदनीय \*Bhedaníya\*—Promote excretions. 5. सन्धानीया \*Sandháníya\*—Promote the union of fractured or divided parts. 6. दीपनीय \*Dípaníya\*—Increase the appetite and digestive \[power. 7. बल्य \*Balya\*—Increase strength. Tonics. 8. वर्ण्य \*Varnya\*—Improve the complexion. 9. कण्ठ्य \*Kaṇṭhya\*—Improve the voice, or cure hoarseness. 10. हृद्य \*Hridya\*—Promote cheerfulness or relish. 11. तृप्तिघ्न \*Triptighna\*—Remove a supposed phlegm which causes a sense of satiety. 12. अर्शोघ्न \*Arsoghna\*—Cure piles. 13. कुष्ठघ्न \*Kushṭhayhna\*—Cure skin diseases. 14. कण्डूघ्न \*Kaṇḍughna\*—Cure pruritus. ### [c4.s1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.8) 15. कृमिघ्न \*Krimighna\*—Cure worms. 16. विषघ्न \*Vishaghna\*—Act as antidotes to poisons. 17. स्तनजनन \*Stanyajanana\*—Promote secretion of milk. 18. स्तनशोधन \*Stanyasodhana\*—Improve the quality of milk. 19. शुक्रजनन \*Sukrajanana\*—Increase the secretion of semen. 20. शुक्रशोधन \*Sukrasodhana\*—Purify the semen. 21. स्नेहोपयोग \*Snehopayoga\*—Emollients. 22. स्वेदोपयोग \*Svedopayoga\*—Diaphoretics. 23. वमनोपयोग \*Vamanopayoga\*—Emetics. 24. विरेचनोपयोग \*Virechanopayoga\*—Purgatives. \[enemas. 25. आस्थापनोपयोग \*A'sthápanopayoga\*—Medicines for use in 26. अनुवासनोपयोग \*Anuvásanopayoga\*—Medicines for oily enemas. \[from the nose. 27. शिरोविरेचनोपयोग \*Sirovirechanopayoga\*—Promote discharge 28. छर्द्दिनिग्रहण \*Chhardinigrahana\*—Relieve vomiting. 29. तृष्णानिग्रहण \*Trishnánigrahana\*—Relieve thirst. 30. हिक्कानिग्रहण \*Hikkánigrahana\*—Relieve hiccup. 31. पुरीषसंग्रहणीय \*Purishasangrahaníya\*—Render the fæces consistent. \[fæces. 32. पुरीषविरजनीय \*Purishavirajaníya\*—Alter the colour of the 33. मूत्रसंग्रहणीय \*Mutrasangrahan'ya\*—Reduce secretion of urine. 34. मूत्रविरजनीय \*Mutravirajaníya\*—Alter colour of urine. 35. मूत्रविरेचनीय \*Mutravirechaníya\*—Increase secretion of 36. कासहर \*Kásahara\*—Cure cough. \[urine. 37. श्वासहर \*Svásahara\*—Cure difficult breathing or asthma. 38. शोथहर \*Sothahara\*—Cure anasarca or swellings. 39. ज्वरहर \*Jvarahara\*—Febrifuges. 40. श्रमहर \*Sramahara\*—Remove fatigue. \[body. 41. दाहप्रशमन \*Dáhaprasamana\*—Relieve burning or heat of 42. शीतप्रशमन \*Sítaprasamana\*—Relieve sense of coldness. 43. उदर्दप्रशमन \*U'darddhaprasamana\*—Cure urticaria. \[limbs. 44. अङ्गमर्दप्रशमन \*Angamarddaprasamana\*—Relieve pain in the 45. शूलप्रशमन \*Sulaprasamana\*—Cure pain in the bowels. 46. शोणितस्थापन \*Sonitasthápana\*—Styptics. 47. वेदनास्थापन \*Vedanásthápana\*—Anodynes. 48. संज्ञास्थापन \*Sanjnásthápana\*—Restore consciousness. ### [c4.s1.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.9) 49. प्रजास्थापन Prajásthápana—Cure sterility. 50. वय:स्थापन Vayahsthápana—Prevent the effects of age. ### [c4.s1.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.10) Susruta divides medicines into thirty seven classes, named after the first article of each class. The medicines included in each class have certain common properties, such as acidity, sweetness, astringency, etc., are often used in combination, and can be substituted for one another. This has the advantage of bringing analogous substances under one head, but numerous medicines come to be written under two or more heads. The Nighantu and some other works on the properties of medicines adopt the following classification in describing them :—1. Strongly scented substances. 2. Moderately scented substances. 3. Weak scented substances. 4. Extracts. 5. Precious stones. 6. Metals. 7. Sweet plants. 8. Acid plants. 9. Potherbs. 10. Bitter herbs. 11. Flower plants. 12. Fruit-bearing creepers. 13. Root-stocks. 14. Large trees. 15. Middle sized trees. 16. Small trees or shrubs. 17. Creepers. 18. Corn and Pulses. 19. Cooked food. 20. Different sorts of water. 21. Fluids as milk, honey, etc. 22. Necessaries of life, such as baths, dress, ornaments, etc. 23. The influence of the elements and imponderables, etc. ### [c4.s1.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.11) THE PROPERTIES OF MATERIAL OBJECTS AND THE ACTION OF MEDICINES ON THE HUMAN SYSTEM. ### [c4.s1.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.12) Material objects, according to Sanskrit writers, have six sorts of tastes, twenty sorts of qualities, and two sorts of forces in them. The six tastes are sweet, acid, salt, bitter, acrid and astringent. The twenty qualities of objects are as follows :—Heavy, light, soft, dull, oily, consistent, watery, hot, fixed, sharp, tremulous, delicate, demulcent, smooth, harsh, transparent, hard, pungent, coarse and cold. The two forces are heating and cooling. All substances are supposed, after digestion, to assume one or other of three sorts of properties : thus sweets and salts are supposed to be turned after digestion into sweets ; acids, into acids ; and bitters, acrids and astringents, into acrids. Besides the above properties, each medicine has a special action of its own. It is that quality which shews itself superior to the usual properties of taste, force, and result of assimilation ; as for example, Danti (Baliospermum Montanum), which though similar in properties to Chitraka (Plumbago Zeylanica), yet, unlike the latter, acts as a purgative. This result is owing to its special action, the nature or ultimate cause of which is beyond the comprehension of the Gods themselves. ### [c4.s1.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.13) The various actions of medicines on the human system are described in considerable detail. All diseases being supposed to be caused by derangement of the humours, namely, wind, bile, phlegm, blood, etc., all medicines are likewise supposed to have some influence upon one or other of these humours. Susruta divides medicines into two classes, with reference to their action on the humours, namely, \*Sansamana\* and \*Sansodhana\*. \*Sansamana\* are medicines which rectify the deranged state of the humours and calm their excited action, without promoting the excretions. \*Sansodhana\* are medicines which remove collections of bad humours and discharge them by the excretions. The first is subdivided into three orders, namely, medicines influencing wind, bile and phlegm, respectively. The second includes emetics, purgatives, errhines and other depuratories. Sárangadhara and other writers describe the actions of medicines in further detail and mention the following classes :— ### [c4.s1.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.14) दीपन \*Dípana\* are medicines which promote appetite, but do not aid in digesting undigested food. ### [c4.s1.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.15) पाचन \*Páchana\* are medicines which assist in digesting undigested food, but do not increase the appetite. Some medicines have both these properties, that is, they are appetizers as well as digestives. ### [c4.s1.16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.16) अनुलोमन \*Anulomana\* are medicines which digest the humours and set them free, that is, promote excretions and favour their discharge. ### [c4.s1.17](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.17) विरेचक \*Virechaka\* or purgatives are described under three heads, namely, स्रंसन \*Sransana\*, भेदन \*Bhedana\*, and रेचक \*Rechaka\*. Those medicines which hurry the chyle or materials for digestion, without allowing them to be properly digested, are called \*Sransana\*, as for example the pulp of \*Cassia fistula\*. Those medicines which set free scybala and other contents of the intestines, and discharge them from the bowels, without producing watery stools, are called \*Bhedana\*, as for example \*Katuki\* (\*Pricorrhiza Kurroa\*). Those medicines which cause the discharge of the digested or undigested contents of the intestines in a liquid form, are called \*Rechaka\*, as for example, \*Trivrit\* (\*Ipomœa Turpethum\*). These last again are subdivided into three orders, namely, \*mridu\* or mild, \*madhyama\* or intermediate, and \*krura\* or drastic. ### [c4.s1.18](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.18) वमन \*Vamana\* or emetics are medicines which cause emesis of bile, mucus and other contents of the stomach. ### [c4.s1.19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.19) छेदन \*Chhedana\* are medicines which remove by force as it were and discharge from the body adherent phlegm or other humours. Emetics, expectorants, errhines, caustics, etc. would probably come under this head. Black pepper and alkaline ashes are given as examples of this class of medicines. ### [c4.s1.20](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.20) लेखन \*Lekhana\* or attenuants remove bad humours and altered constituents of the body by thinning them gradually and thus clearing the system of them. Warm water, honey, barley, etc. are examples of this class. ### [c4.s1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.21) Medicines which promote the secretion of perspiration, urine, and milk are called, respectively, स्वेदन \*Svedana\*, मूत्रल \*Mutrala\* and स्तन्यजनन \*Stanyajanana\*. ### [c4.s1.22](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.22) प्रमाथि \*Pramáthi\* are medicines which facilitate the exit of collected secretions from their tubes or receptacles, as for example \*Vacha\* (\*Acorus Calamus\*). ### [c4.s1.23](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.23) ग्राहि \*Gráhi\* or inspissants are medicines which from their stomachic, digestive and heating qualities, dry the fluids of the body. ### [c4.s1.24](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.24) स्तम्भन \*Stambhana\* or constipators are medicines which from their drying, astringent and cooling qualities, and from their easy digestibility, increase the air and retain the secretions, as for example \*Indrayava\* (seeds of \*Holarrhena antidysenterica\*). ### [c4.s1.25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.25) अभिष्यन्दि \*Abhishyandi\* are substances which from their emollient qualities or heaviness, retain the secretions and cause heaviness and fulness of the body, as for example, \*Dadhi\* or curdled milk. ### [c4.s1.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.26) रसायन \*Rasáyana\* or alternative tonics are medicines which prevent or remove the effects of age, increase the vigour of healthy persons and cure the ailments of the sick. ### [c4.s1.27](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.27) बल्य \*Balya\* or tonics are medicines which increase strength. ### [c4.s1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.28) बृंहण \*Vrinhana\* are medicines which promote nutrition and increase the bulk of the body. ### [c4.s1.29](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.29) वाजीकरण \*Vájikaraṇa\* or aphrodisiacs are medicines which increase the sexual powers. ### [c4.s1.30](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.30) विष \*Visha\* or poisons are said to be endowed with the following qualities, namely, व्यावायि \*Vyaváyi\*, that is affecting the entire system, as for example, opium and hemp. सूक्ष्म \*Sukshma\* that is, penetrating into the minutest pores of the body. विकाशि \*Vikási\*, that is drying the humours, depressing the system and causing relaxation of the joints, as for example betel-nuts. आग्नेय \*A'gneya\*, that is, heating or stimulant. मदावह \*Madávaha\*, that is, depriving men of their senses and enveloping their minds in darkness as spirituous liquors. Taken in large doses, poisons destroy life, but, judiciously used, they act as curatives and restore health, even in dangerous diseases. ### [c4.s1.31](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1.31) Nine active or virulent poisons are mentioned by most writers, namely \*vatsanábha\*, \*háridra\*, \*saktu\*, \*pradipana\*, \*sauráshtrika sringi\*, \*kálakuṭa\*, \*haláhala\*, and \*brahmaputra\*. These cannot all be identified at present. Most of them are apparently varieties of aconite, (see page 97). The following seven drugs are described, as minor poisons, viz., opium, \*gunjá\* (seeds of \*Abrus precatorius\*), datura, roots of \*Nerium odorum\* (\*karavirá\*), and \*Gloriosa superba\* (\*lánguli\*) and the milky juices of \*Calotropis gigantea\* (\*arka\*) and \*Euphorbia neriifolia\* (\*snuhi\*). The mineral poisons mentioned in Susruta are \*phenásma bhasma\* or white arsenic, and \*haritála\* or orpiment. Of animal poisons, the poison of the serpent is the only one used in medicine. ## Linked texts (1) - [Nighaṇṭu](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vedanga.nirukta.nighantu) — Yāska, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.dutt-1877.c4.s1) · Pramāṇa