The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s10.t1: Vitis Vinifera, Linn.

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s10.t1

Language: English

Vitis Vinifera, Linn.

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Sans. द्राक्षा, *Drákshá*. मृद्विका, *Mridviká* Vern. *A'ngurphal, Kismis, Manakká*, Beng. Hind.

GRAPES have been known in India from a very remote period and are mentioned by Susruta and Charaka. The dried fruits called raisins, are used in medicine. They are described as demulcent, laxative, sweet, cooling, agreeable and useful in thirst, heat of body, cough, hoarseness and consumption.

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Raisins enter into the composition of numerous demulcent and expectorant medicines. The following is an illustration. Take of raisins, emblic myrobalans, dates, long pepper and black pepper, equal parts, rub them together with honey and clarified butter and administer as a linctus.³

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³ द्राक्षामलक खर्जूरं पिप्पलीमरचान्वितम् । पित्तकासापहं ह्येतत् लिह्यान्माक्षिकसर्पिषा । शार्ङ्गधरः ।

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*Drákshá arishṭa*. This is a medicinal wine prepared as follows. Take of raisins six seers and a quarter, water one hundred and twenty-eight seers, boil them together till reduced to one-fourth, and strain. To the strained decoction add twenty-five seers of treacle and eight tolás each of the following substances in fine powder, namely, cinnamon, cardamoms, tejpatra, flowers of Mesua ferrea (nágakesara), fruit of Aglaia Roxburghiana (priyangu), black pepper, long pepper and báberang seeds, and set aside for fermentation. This liquor is considered invigorating and nourishing and is used in consumption, cough, difficult breathing and hoarseness.¹

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¹ द्राक्षारिष्टः । द्राक्षा तुलाद्वं द्विद्रोणे जलस्य विपचेत्सुधीः । पादशेषे कषाये च पूते शीते विनिःक्षिपेत् । गुडस्य द्विशतान्नत्र त्वगेला पत्र केसरम् । प्रियङ्ग मरिचं कृष्णां विडङ्गं चेति चूर्णयेत् । पृथक् पलान्मितान्भागैस्ततो भाण्डे निधापयेत् । समन्ततोघट्टयित्वा पिबेज्जातरसन्नतः । उरःक्षतं क्षयं हन्ति कासश्वास गलामयान् । द्राक्षारिष्टाह्वयः प्रोक्तोबलकृन्मलशोधनः । शार्ङ्गधरः ।

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NAT. ORDER SAPINDACEÆ. CARDIOSPERMUM HALICACABUM, Linn. Sans. ज्योतीष्मती, Jyautishmati. Vern. Latáphaṭkari, Nayáphaṭki, Beng.

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THE root of this climbing plant is described as emetic, laxative, stomachic and rubefacient, and is used in combination with other remedies in rheumatism, nervous diseases, piles etc. The fried leaves of Cardiospermum Halicacabum are said to bring on the secretion of the menses.² Another prescription for amenorrhoea is as follows. Take of yautishmati leaves, sarjiká, (impure carbonate of potash) Acorus Calamus root (vachá) and the root-bark of Terminalia tomentosa (asana) in equal parts and reduce to a paste with milk. This medicine, should be taken in doses of about a drachm for three days.³

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² सकाञ्जिकं जवापुष्पं भृष्टं ज्योतीष्मतीदलम् । दूर्वापिष्टञ्च संप्राश्य वनिता तार्त्तवं लभेत् ।। चक्रः ।

c5.s10.t1.10

³ पोतं ज्योतीष्मतीपत्रं सर्ज्जको यासनम् । त्यहं शीतेन पयसा पिष्टं कुसुमं जनयेत् ध्रुवम् । भावप्रकाशः ।

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NAT. ORDER ANACARDIACEÆ. RHUS SUCCEDANEA, Linn. *Sans.* कर्कटशृङ्गी, *Karkatasringi.* *Vern.* Kákrásringi, *Beng.* Kakarsing, *Hind.*

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THE horn-like excrescences caused by insects on the branches of *Rhus Succedanea* are called *karkatasringi*. They “are large, hollow, thin-walled, generally cylindrical, tapering to either extremity.” They are considered tonic, expectorant and useful in cough, phthisis, asthma, fever, want of appetite and irritability of stomach. Dose, about twenty grains. This medicine is much used in cough, in combination with other drugs for the disease. The following is an example.¹ Take of *karkatasringi*, root of *Clerodendron Siphonanthus* (*brahmayashṭi*), raisins, ginger, long pepper and *Curcuma Zedoaria* (*sati*), equal parts, powder and mix. Dose, about thirty grains with treacle or honey, in dry cough. In catarrhal fever with difficult breathing a powder composed of equal parts of *karkatasringi*, bark of *Myrica sapida* (*katphala*), and long pepper is recommended to be given in doses of about a drachm, with honey.² The following called *Sringyádi churna* is much esteemed as a cough linctus for children. Take of *karkatasringi*, *átis*, and long pepper, equal parts; powder and make into a linctus with honey.³

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¹ भार्गी द्राक्षा शटी शृङ्गी पिप्पलीविश्वभेषजैः । गुडतैलयुतो लेहो हितोमारुतकासिनाम् । चक्रदत्तः ।

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² मधुना कृष्णा कट्फल कर्कटशृङ्गी भवं चूर्णम् । श्वासमय महोपये लीढ़ा लोकः सुखी भवति । भावप्रकाशः ।

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³ शृङ्गादिचूर्णम् । शृङ्गीप्रतिविषां कृष्णां चूर्णतां मधुनालिहेत् । शिशुः कासज्वरच्छर्दिगन्त्यवा केवलं विषाम् । शार्ङ्गधरः ।

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MANGIFERA INDICA, Linn. *Sans.* आम्र, *A'mra.* *Vern.* *A'm.* *Beng.* *Hind.*

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THE Mango is well known as the most delicious of Indian fruits. The ripe fruit is somewhat laxative and useful to persons of constipated habits. The bark and kernel are regarded as astringent and useful in hæmorrhages, diarrhœa and other discharges.

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In diarrhœa, a decoction of the kernel is given alone or in combination with *bela* and ginger.¹ In bleeding from the nose the juice of the kernel is recommended to be snuffed. In bleeding from internal organs, a cold infusion of the barks of *Mangifera Indica*, *Eugenia Jambolana*, and *Terminalia Arjuna* is prescribed.² This infusion is also used in diarrhœa. The Bhávaprakása recommends a confection made of the juice of the ripe mango sugar and aromatics, for use as a restorative tonic.

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¹ योज्यमम्लार्तिसारेषु बिल्वाम्रास्थिभवस्तथा । शार्ङ्गधरः ।

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² आम्रजम्बू च ककुभं चूर्णयित्वा जले क्षिपेत् । हिमं तस्य पिबेत्प्रातः स क्षौद्रं रक्तपित्तजित् । शार्ङ्गधरः ।

Linked texts (3)

Cakradatta (Cikitsāsaṅgraha) — Cakrapāṇidatta, Sanskrit
Śārṅgadharasaṃhitā — Śārṅgadhara (physician), Sanskrit
Bhāvaprakāśa — Bhāvamiśra 1550, Sanskrit