The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s10.t2: Semecarpus Anacardium, Linn.

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s10.t2

Language: English

Semecarpus Anacardium, Linn.

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*Sans.* भल्लातक, *Bhallátaka*. अरुष्कर, *Arushkara*.

The acrid juice of marking nuts is a powerful vesicant and is often employed by the natives for producing fictitious marks of bruises. These can be distinguished from actual bruises caused by blows with a stick or other weapon, by their deep bluish-black colour and from their presenting small vesicles or minute blisters on their surface.

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The practice of causing blisters by the application of the juice of marking nuts among the Hindus appears to have been at one time very common, for in our ancient medical works a section or paragraph is generally devoted to the treatment of ulcerations thus produced.

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The ripe fruits are regarded as acrid, heating, stimulant, digestive, nervine and escharotic, and are used in dyspepsia, piles skin diseases, nervous debility, etc. They are prepared for internal use by being boiled with cow-dung and afterwards washed with cold water. Equal parts of marking nuts, chebulic myrobalans and sesamum seeds, are made into a confection with treacle and administered in doses of forty to sixty grains.¹

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¹ तिलभल्लातकं पथ्या गुडञ्चेति समांशकम् । दुर्नमकासश्वासघ्नं प्लीह-पाण्डुज्वरापहम् । चक्रदत्तः ।

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*Amrita Bhallátaki*.² Take of ripe marking nuts divided into halves, eight seers, boil them in thirty-two seers of water till the latter is reduced to one-fourth and strain. Again boil the nuts in sixteen seers of milk with the addition of four seers of clarified butter, till reduced to a thick consistence. Then add sugar two seers and set aside for seven days, when the prepartion will be ready for use. It is described as a powerful restorative tonic, which increases the appetite, promotes nutrition and strength, prolongs life and so forth. It is used in hæmorrhoids and other diseases of the rectum. Dose, about one to two scruples. Another confection of marking nuts, made with the addition of a number of aromatic substances, is recommended for use in skin diseases and leprosy.

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² अमृतभल्लातको । सुपक्वभल्लातफलानि सम्यक् द्विधाविदार्याढकसम्म-तानि । विपाच्यतोयेन चतुर्गुणेन चतुर्थशेषे व्यपनीयतानि । पुनः पचेत् क्षीरचतुर्गुणेन घृतांशयुक्तेन घनं यथा स्यात् । सितो पलाषोडशभिः पलैस्तु विमिश्रसंस्थाप्यदिनानि सप्त । ततः प्रयोज्याग्निवलेन मात्रां जयेद्गुदोत्थान खिलान् विकारान् । कचान् सुनीलान् घनकुञ्चितायान् सुपर्हदृष्टिं सुकुमा-रताञ्च । जवं हयानाञ्च मातङ्गजं बलं खरं मयूरस्य हुताशदीप्रिम् । स्त्री-वल्लभत्वं लभते प्रजाञ्च नीरोगमब्दिशतानि चायुः । चक्रदत्तः ।

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Marking nuts enter into the composition of some caustic applications for warts and piles. They form an ingredient of a liniment for rheumatic affections called *Saindhavádyataila*, for which see Ginger.

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NAT. ORDER LEGUMINOSÆ.

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SARACA INDICA, Linn.

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Syn. Jonesia Asoca, Roxb.

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Sans. अशोक, Asoka. Vern. Asok, Hind. Beng.

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DR. ROXBURGH says, “when this tree is in full blossom I do not think, the whole vegetable kingdom affords a more beautiful object.” It is famed in Hindu mythology from the circumstance of Sita the wife of Rámchandra, having been confined by Rávana in a grove of asoka trees. The bark is much used by native physicians in uterine affections and especially in menorrhagia. A decoction¹ of the bark in milk, is prepared by boiling eight tolás of the bark in eight tolás of milk and thirty-two tolás of water till the latter is evaporated. This quantity is given in two or three divided doses during the course of the day, in menorrhagia. A ghrita called Asoka ghrita is prepared with a decoction of the bark and clarified butter with the addition of a number of aromatic substances in the form of a paste.

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¹ अशोकवल्ककषायष्टतं दुग्धं सुशीतलम् । यथाबलं पिबेत्प्रातस्तोष्रा-सृग्दरनाशनम् । चक्रदत्तः ।

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GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA, Linn.

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Sans. यष्ठिमधु, Yashṭi madhu, मधुक, Madhuka.

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Vern. Jashṭi madhu, Beng. Mulhaṭṭi. Hind.

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LIQUORICE root, though not indigenous to India, has been used in Hindu Medicine from a very remote period, and is mentioned by Susruta. It is described as sweet, demulcent, cooling and useful in inflammatory affections, cough, hoarseness, thirst etc. It is much used for flavouring medicinal decoctions, oils and ghritas. It enters into the composition of numerous external cooling applications along with red sandal wood, madder, Andropogon muricatus etc. I have not met with any notice in Sanskrit works, of the watery extract of liquorice, sold in the bazars in the shape of black pencils, and called *Rubas sus* in Hindustani.

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TRIGONELLA FŒNUM-GRÆCUM, Linn.

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Sans. मेथि, Methi. Vern. Methi, Hind. Beng.

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THE *Trigonella Fœnum-græcum* is extensively cultivated in many parts of India. Its seeds are used as a condiment and its aromatic leaves, as a pot-herb. Fenugreek seeds are considered carminative, tonic and aphrodisiac. Several confections made with this article are described under the names of *Methi modaka*, *Svalpa methi modaka* etc., and are recommended for use in dyspepsia with loss of appetite, in the diarrhœa of puerperal women and in rheumatism. All these preparations consist of a number of aromatic substances, one part each, and fenugreek seed equal in quantity to all the other ingredients. The following is an illustration.

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*Methi modaka*.¹ Take of the three myrobalans, ginger, long pepper and black pepper, tubers of *Cyperus rotundus* (*mustaka*), nigella and cumin seeds, coriander, bark of *Myrica sapida* (*katphala*), *pátchak* root, *Rhus succedanea* (*karkatasringi*), ajowan, rock salt, black salt, leaves of *Pinus Webbiana* (*tálisa*), flowers of *Mesua ferrea* (*nágakesara*), tejpatra, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmegs, mace, cloves, sandal wood and camphor one part each; fenugreek seed, in quantity equal to all the above ingredients; powder them all and prepare a confection with old treacle. Dose, one to two drachms to be taken in the morning with clarified butter and honey.

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¹ मेथिमोदकः । त्रिकटुत्रिफलामुस्तजोरकधयधान्यकम् । कट्फलं पौष्करं शृङ्गो यमानी सैन्धवं षिडम् । तालीशकेशर पत्रं त्वगेला च फलं तथा । जातीकोषं लवङ्गञ्च सुराकर्पूरचन्दनम् । यावन््येतानि चूर्णानि तावदेव तु मेथिका । संचूर्ण्य मोदकः कार्यः पुरातनगुडन च । घतेन मधुनाकिञ्चित् खादेदग्निविवर्द्धनं । अग्निञ्च कुरुते दीप्तं सामे मेदे महौषधम् । भैषज्यरत्नावली ।

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ALHAGI MAURORUM, *Tournef.*

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*Sans.* दुरलभा, *Duralabhá*, यवास, *Yavása*. *Vern.* *Yavása* *Hind.*

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THIS plant is described as laxative, diuretic and expectorant. The thorny flower-stalks or branches are supplied by druggists as the parts used in medicine. An extract obtained by evaporating a decoction of the plant is called *yásasarkará* or the sugar obtained from *yavása*. It has a sweetish bitter taste, and is used as a demulcent in the cough of children. There is no mention in Sanskrit of any saccharine exudation or manna obtained from this plant.

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The fresh juice of the plant is used as a diuretic in suppression of urine. The following compound decoction¹ is recommended by Sárangadhara in constipation with suppression of urine. Take of Alhagi Maurorum, chebulic myrobalans, pulp of Cassia Fistula (*áragbadha*), fruits of Tribulus terrestris (*gokshura*), and root of Coleus aromaticus (*páshanbhid*), prepare a decoction in the usual way, and administer it with honey. The following electuary is recommended by several writers for the cough of children. Take of the extract of *yavása*, raisins, chebulic myrobalans and long pepper in equal parts, powder and mix with honey and clarified butter.²

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¹ हरीतकी दुरलभा कृतमालक गोक्षुरैः । पाषाणभेदसहितेः काथामाक्षुक संयुतः । विवन्धमूत्रकृच्छ्रे च सदाहेसरुजेहितः । शार्ङ्गधरः ।

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² द्राक्षा यासाभया कृष्णा चूर्णं सक्षौद्र सर्पिषा । लीढं श्वासं निहन्त्याशु कासञ्च तमकं तथा । चक्रदत्तः ।

Linked texts (3)

Cakradatta (Cikitsāsaṅgraha) — Cakrapāṇidatta, Sanskrit
Śārṅgadharasaṃhitā — Śārṅgadhara (physician), Sanskrit
Bhaiṣajyaratnāvalī — Govindadāsa, Sanskrit