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The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s13.t1: Strychnos Nux Vomica, Linn.

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s13.t1

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Strychnos Nux Vomica, Linn.

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*Sans.* कुपिलु, *Kupilu*, कुलक, *Kulaka*, विषमुष्टी, *Vishamushṭi*. *Vern.* Kuchilá, *Beng. Hind.*

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Nux vomica has been introduced into Hindu Medicine at a recent period. There is no generally recognized Sanskrit name for it. In some recent Sanskrit compilations it is mentioned under its vernacular name *kuchilá*, a term which is not to be found in standard Sanskrit dictionaries. Sárangadhara and other writers give some prescriptions containg a drug named *vishamushṭi*, which is generally interpretted to mean in these places, nux vomica seeds; but *vishamushṭi* according to the Bhávaprakása has an edible fruit and is called *Kareruá* in Hindi. In this work the Sanskrit term *kupilu* with its synonyms, *kulaka*, *vishatinduka*, *mar-kaṭatinduka*, etc., is said to be the Sanskrit synonyms for *kuchilá* and this translation is followed in some Hindi medical books, as for example in the treatise on the properties of drugs, compiled by Pundit Keshava Prasáda Dvivedi of the Agra College. This interpretation however is not accepted in Bengal, for neither Wilson nor Sir Rájá Rádhákunta Deva has given *kuchilá* as the Vernacular for *kupilu*, nor does this term or any of its synonyms above mentioned, occur in any Sanskrit medical prescription. In our account of this drug we will according to the practice of ous kavirájas in Bengal interpret *vishamushṭi* as *kuchilá*.

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The *Strychnos nux vomica* is indigenous to most parts of India. I found it to be common in the jungles about Manbhom. The ripe fruits of the size of apples, have a beautiful orange colour and contain a bitter gelatinous pulp, within which the flat and curiously umbilicated seeds are found imbedded.

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Nux vomica seeds produce a sort of intoxication, for which they are habitually taken by some natives as an aphrodisiac. Those who do so gradually become so far accustomed to this poison that they often come to take one seed daily, which is cut into small pieces and chewed with a packet of betel leaf. Medicinally the seeds are used in dyspepsia and diseases of the nervous system.

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Samiragaja kesari. Take of nux vomica, opium and black pepper equal parts, and make into two-grain pills. These are given with the juice of betel leaves in diseases of the nervous system.

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Sulharanayoga.¹ Take of chebulic myrobalan, long pepper, black pepper, ginger, nux vomica, assafœtida, sulphur and rock salt, equal parts and make into four-grain pills. These are given with warm water in dyspepsia with pain after meals, and in diarrhœa. Sárangadhara gives the following prescription in which the term vishamushṭi is usually understood to mean nux vomica. Take of mercury, sulphur, aconite, ajowan, the three myrobalans, sarjiká (impure carbonate of soda), yavakshára (impure carbonate of potash), rock salt, plumbago root, cumin seeds, sonchal salt, sea-salt, báberang, black pepper, long pepper and ginger, equal parts, vishamushṭi (nux vomica seeds) equal in weight to all the above ingredients and make into pills of the size of black pepper corns with lemon juice. These pills are given to promote the appetite and increase the digestive power.²

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¹ शूलहरप्रयोगः। हरीतकी त्रिकटुंकुचिलाहिङ्गु गन्धकं। सैन्धवञ्चसमं सर्व्वं वटीकुर्य्यात् सुखावहाः। लघुकोलप्रमाणास्ता भक्षन्तेप्रातरेवच। एकैका-वटिकाग्राह्या गुल्मशूलनिवारिणी। ग्रहण्यामतिसारेच साजीर्ण्णेमन्दपावके। योजयेदुष्णपयसा सुखमाप्नोति तत्क्षणात्। रसेन्द्रसारसंग्रहः।

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² शुद्धसूतं विषं गन्धमजमोदा फलत्रयम्। खर्जक्षारं यवक्षारं वह्नि सैन्धव-जीरकम्। सौवर्चलं बिडङ्गानि साङ्कत्र्तूषणसमम्। विषमुष्टि सर्व्वतुल्यं जम्बी-राम्लेन मर्द्दयेत्। मरिचाभांवटीखादेदग्नि मान्द्यप्रशान्तये। शार्ङ्गधर।

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STRYCHNOS POTATORUM, Linn. fil.

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Sans. कतक, *Kataka*, अम्बु प्रसाद, *Ambuprasáda*. Vern. *Nirmali*, B.

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The use of these seeds for the purpose of clearing muddy water is as old as Susruta, who mentions it in his chapter on water. Medicinally it is chiefly used as a local application in eye-diseases. The seeds are rubbed with honey and a little camphor, and the mixture applied to the eyes in lachrymation or copious watery discharge from them. Rubbed with water and rock salt they are applied to chemosis in the conjunctiva. They enter also into the composition of several complex preparations for ulcer of the cornea, etc.¹

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¹ शङ्खः क्षौद्रेण संयुक्तः कतकः सैन्धवेनवा । सितयाऽथवफेनो वा पृथगञ्जन मञ्जने । चक्रदत्तः ।

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NAT. ORDER GENTIANACEÆ.

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OPHELIA CHIRATA, Grisebach.

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Syn. *Gentiana Chirayita*, Roxb.

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Sans. किरातातिक्ता, *Kirátatikta*, भूनिम्ब, *Bhunimba*.

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Vern. *Chiretá*, Beng. Hind.

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The *Ophelia Chirata* is indigenous to the "mountainous regions of Northern India from Simla through Kumaon to the Morung district in South-Eastern Nepal." Its Sanskrit name *kirátatikta*, means "the bitter plant of the Kirátas, an outcast race of mountaineers in the north of India." It is also called *Anáryatikta* or the bitter plant of the Non-Aryans. The Bhavaprakása mentions a variety of *chiretá*, under the name of Naipála, that is, produced in Nepál, and describes it as a febrifuge.

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*Chiretá* is regarded as tonic, febrifuge and laxative, and is used in fever, burning of the body, intestinal worms, skin diseases, etc. It is much used in fevers of all sorts in a variety of forms and in combination with other medicines of its class. The following are a few illustrations. Take of *chiretá*, *gulancha*, raisins, emblic myrobalan and zedoary root, equal parts and prepare a decoction in the usual way.¹ A compound powder called *Sudarsana churna*, is prepared by taking equal parts of fifty-four different substances and of chireta, equal to one-half the weight of all the other ingredients, and mixing them together. It is largely prescribed by native physicians in chronic febrile diseases.

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¹ किरात तिक्तममृता द्राक्षा आमलकी शठी । निष्पीड्य सततंक्वाथं वातपित्तज्वरे पिबेत् । भैषज्यरत्नावली ।

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*Kirátádi taila*, or oil of chiretá.² Take of chiretá one seer, water sixteen seers, boil together till reduced to four seers and strain. Boil this decoction of chiretá, with four seers each of prepared mustard oil, *kánjika* and whey, and two tolás each of the following substances in the form of a paste, namely, root of *Sanseviera Zeylanica* (*murvá*), lac, turmeric, wood of *Berberis Asiatica* (*dáruharidrá*), madder, root of *Citrullus Colocynthis* (*in-draváruni*), *páchak* root, root of *Pavonia odorata* (*bálá*), of *Vanda Roxburghii* (*rásná*), *Scindapsus officinalis* (*gajapippali*), long pepper, black pepper, ginger, root of *Stephania hernandifolia*, (*páthá*), indrajava seeds, sonchal, vit, and rock salts, root of *Justica Adhátoda* (*vásaka*), *Calotropis gigantea* (*arka*), *Ichnocarpus frutescens* (*shyámalatá*), *Cedrus Deodara* (*devadáru*) and the fruit of *Trichosanthes palmata* (*mahákála*). The oil thus prepared is rubbed on the body in chronic fever with emaciation and anæmia.

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² किरातादि तैलम्। मूर्वाब्जा हरिद्रे द्वे मञ्जिष्ठा सेन्द्रवारुणी। पुष्करं ह्रीवेरं रास्ना कपिवल्ली कटुत्रयं। पाठा चेन्द्र यवश्चैव लवणत्रय संयुतं। वासकार्क श्यामादारु महाकाल फलं तथा। दधि मन्वारनालेन कैरातेनच संपचेत्। प्रस्थं प्रस्थं समादाय तैल प्रस्थे विपाचयेत्। क्षिप्र भुक्त ज्वरञ्चैव

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