The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s10.t7: Pterocarpus Santalinus. Linn.

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s10.t7

Language: English

Pterocarpus Santalinus. Linn.

c5.s10.t7.2

Vern. Raktachandan, Beng. Lálchandan, Hind.

The *Pterocarpus Santalinus* is indigenous to the Indian Peninsula and is chiefly of importance from its yielding the red dye-wood known as red saunders, large quantities of which are annually exported from India. Sanskrit writers describe several varieties of sandal or chandana. Of these *srikhanda* or white, *pitachandana* or yellow, and *raktachandana* or red, sandal wood are best known. The first two varieties are founded on the difference in the shades of the colour of the wood of *Santalum album*. It has been a question however how the wood of *Pterocarpus santalinus*, which is nearly inodorous, came to be called by the name of raktachandana in Sanskrit and the vernaculars of India. I am inclined to think that the name is owing to the similarity in the uses to which the Hindus put both these articles. Both sandal wood and red sandal wood are rubbed on a piece of stone with water, and the emulsions are used for painting the body after bathing and in religious services.

c5.s10.t7.4

Red sandal wood is described as an astringent tonic. It enters into the composition of numerous prescriptions of an astringent character and of cooling external applications for inflammation, headache, etc.,¹ but is seldom used alone. It is also much used as a coloring agent in the preparation of medicated oils.

c5.s10.t7.5

¹ तिक्ताः पयः शिता चौद्रं तैलं मधुक चन्दनम् । लेपेन शोधरन् दाहं रक्तं निर्वापयेद् ष्णम् । चक्रदत्तः ।

c5.s10.t7.6

The *Pterocarpus marsupium* or Indian kino tree is translated into "peet sál," Beng. by Roxburgh. The Sanskrit term *Pita-sála* is however a synonym of *Asana* (*Terminalia tomentosa*). I have not found any notice of the Indian kino tree in Sanskrit works. It was probably unknown to the ancients.

c5.s10.t7.7

CASSIA FISTULA, Linn. Sans. आरग्वध, A'ragbadha. सुवर्णक, Suvarnaka. Vern. A'multás, Hind. Sondháli, Beng.

c5.s10.t7.8

Cassia fistula is indigenous to India and is an old medicine of the Hindu Materia Medica. "The tree is uncommonly beautiful when in flower, few surpassing it in the elegance of its numerous long pendulous racemes of large bright yellow flowers, intermixed with the young lively green foliage." Hence I believe its Sanskrit name of Rájataru or the king of trees. The pulp of the fruit is used as a mild cathartic. The root is also described as laxative, and useful in fever, heart diseases, retained excretions, biliousness, etc.

c5.s10.t7.9

Aragbadhádi.¹ The compound decoction which passes by this name is a very commonly used purgative in native practice. To prepare it, take of the pulp of Cassia fistula, Picrorrhiza Kurroa (katuki), chebulic myrobalans, long pepper root and the tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), about sixty-four grains each, water thirty-two tolás, and boil down to eight tolás. Half of this quantity, or in strong constitutions the whole of it, is given for a dose. The root of Cassia fistula enters into the composition of numerous compound prescriptions.

c5.s10.t7.10

¹ आरग्वधादि। आरग्वध कणामूल सुप्त तिक्ताभयाकृतः। काथः शमयति क्षिप्रं ज्वरं वातकफोत्तरम्। शार्ङ्गधरः।

c5.s10.t7.11

CASSIA SOPHORA, Linn. Sans. कासमर्द, Kásamarda. Vern. Kálkásundá, Beng. Kásundá, Hind.

c5.s10.t7.12

CASSIA TORA, Linn. Sans. चक्रमर्द, Chakramarda. Vern. Chákundia, Beng. Chakaund, Hind.

c5.s10.t7.13

CASSIA ALATA, Linn. Sans. दद्रुघ्न, Dadrughna. Vern. Dádmardan. Beng. and Hind.

c5.s10.t7.14

THE leaves and seeds of these three plants are used in skin diseases, and enter into the composition of numerous prescriptions for them. Kásamarda signifies destroyer of cough. It is described as expectorant and useful in cough and hoarseness, but it does not appear to be much used in these diseases.

c5.s10.t7.15

The seeds of Cassia Sophora, Raphanus sativus (mulaka) and sulphur, in equal parts, are rubbed into a paste with water and applied to patches of pityriasis and psoriasis.¹ The seeds of Cassia Tora are steeped in the milky juice of Euphorbia neriifolia, and afterwards rubbed into a paste with cow's urine for application to keloid tumours.² Equal parts of the seeds of Cassia Tora and Pongamia glabra (karanja) with a fourth part of the root of Tinospora cordifolia (gulancha) are rubbed together into a paste and applied in ringworm.³ Dadrughna or Dádamardana signifies curer of ringworm. Its leaves are used in this disease.

Linked texts (2)

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