The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s10.t8: Bauhinia Variegata, Linn.

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s10.t8

Language: English

Bauhinia Variegata, Linn.

c5.s10.t8.1

Sans. काञ्चनार, Kánchanára. कोविदार, Kovidára. Vern. Kachnár, Hind. Rakta Kánchan, Beng.

Two species of Bauhinia, namely purple and white flowered (Bauhinia variegata and acuminata), are noticed in the Bhávaprakása under the names of Kovidára and Kánchanára and the properties of both are said to be identical. The bark of Bauhinia variegata is described as alterative, tonic, astringent and useful in scrofula, skin diseases and ulcers.

c5.s10.t8.3

Chakradatta recommends the bark of the red variety to be rubbed into an emulsion with rice water and administered, with the addition of ginger, in scrofulous enlargement of the glands of the neck.⁴ Sárangadhara gives the following preparation for the same affection.

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⁴ पिष्टा ज्वेऽम्बुना पेयाः काञ्चनारत्वचः शुभाः । विश्वभेषजसंयुक्ता गण्डमालापहाः पराः । चक्रदत्तः ।

c5.s10.t8.5

*Kánchanára guggulu.*¹ Take of the bark of *Bauhinia variegata*, eighty tolás, the three myrobalans sixty tolás, ginger, black pepper, long pepper and the bark of *Cratæva religiosa* (varuna), eight tolás each, cardamoms, cinnamon, and *tejpatra* leaves, each two tolás, powder them all and rub together with *guggulu*, equal in weight to all the other ingredients. Dose, half a tolá to be taken every morning with a decoction of *Sphæranthus mollis* (mundi) or of catechu. This medicine is said to be useful in scrofulous enlargement of glands, tumours, ulcers, skin diseases, etc.

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¹ काञ्चनारगुग्गुलु। काञ्चनारत्वचाञ्चैव पलानां दशकं बुधैः। त्रिफला षट्पलाञ्चैव त्रिकटुस्यात्पलत्रयम्। पलैकमेकञ्च कार्यमेलात्वक्पत्रकन्तथा। एकैकं कर्षमात्रं स्यात्सर्व्वमेतत्चूर्णयेत्। यावच्चूर्णंमिदं सर्व्वं तावन्मात्रस्तु गुग्गुलुः। सङ्क्षुद्यसर्व्वमेकत्र पिण्डं कृत्वाच धारयेत्। गुटिकाःशाणिकाः कृत्वा प्रातर्ग्राह्ययथोचितम्। गण्डमालां जयेत्क्षिप्रांमपचीमर्बुदानिच। ग्रन्थि व्रणानिगुल्मांश्च कुष्ठानिच भगन्दरम्। प्रदेयश्चानुपानाधं काथोमुण्डितिकाभवः। काथःखदिरसारस्य पथ्याकाथोयचोषकम्। शार्ङ्गधरः।

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TAMARINDUS INDICA, Linn. *Sans.* तिन्तिड़ी, *Tintidi*. अम्लिका, *Amliká*. *Vern.* Tentul, *Beng*. Imli, *Hind*.

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THE tamarind tree is met with throughout India, and has been known from a very remote period. "From the Hindus it would seem that the fruit became known to the Arabians who called it *Tamare-hindi*:" from which last the word tamarind is derived. Tamarinds form an important ingredient in native cookery. The unripe fruit is very acid and possesses a peculiar aroma for which it is much relished when cooked with curry. The ripe fruit is regarded as refrigerant, digestive, carminative and laxative, and useful in diseases supposed to be caused by deranged bile, such as burning of the body, costiveness, intoxication from spirituous liquors or datura, etc. The shells of the ripe fruit are burnt, and their ashes used in medicine as an alkaline substance, along with other medicines of the sort, as for example in the preparation called *Abhayá-lavana*, (see Alkaline ashes). The pulp of the ripe fruit, as well as a poultice of the leaves, is recommended to be applied to inflammatory swellings.

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Amliká pána.¹ Macerate some tamarind pulp in water; strain, and add black pepper, sugar, cloves, camphor and cardamoms to taste. This preparation is prescribed as an agreeeable cooling draught in loss of appetite and disinclination for food. In intoxication from spirituous liquors the following mixture is recommended by Chakradatta. Take of dates, raisins, tamarind pulp, pomegranate seeds, fruits of *Grewia Asiatica* (parushaka) and ripe emblic myrobalans, each one tolá, pound them together, and make an emulsion with thirty-two tolás of water. Dose, about two ounces.²

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¹ अम्लिकापानम् । अम्लिकायाः फलं पक्कं सहितं वारिणा सह । शर्करा मरिचोन्मिश्रं लवङ्गेन्दु सुवासितं । अम्लिकाफल सम्भूतं पानकं वातनाशनम् । पित्तश्लेष्मकरं किञ्चित् सुरुच्यं वाङ्ग वोपकं । भावप्रकाशः ।

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² मन्थः खर्जूर मृद्वीका वृक्षाम्लाम्लीकदाडिमैः । परूषकैः सामलकैर्युक्तो मद्य विकारनुत् । चक्रदत्तः ।

Linked texts (3)

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