The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s2.t2: Tinospora Cordifolia

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s2.t2

Language: English

Tinospora Cordifolia

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*Sans.* गुडूची, *Guduchi.* अमृता, *Amritá.* *Vern.* Gulancha, *Beng.* Gurach, *Hind.*

The stem, leaves, roots and watery extract of this plant are all used in Hindu Medicine. The entire plant is regarded as a valuable alterative and tonic. It is used in general debility, fever, jaundice, skin diseases, rheumatism, urinary diseases, irritability of stomach, etc.

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The fresh juice of the plant is taken with milk as a general tonic. In fevers it is used in a great variety of forms. Thus a cold infusion of gulancha is given with honey in bilious fever. A decoction¹ of gulancha or its fresh juice is given with the addition of long pepper and honey in chronic fever with cough. A compound decoction is thus prepared. Take of gulancha, Hedyotis biflora (parparta), Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), chiretta and ginger, each one drachm, water, half a seer. Boil down to one-fourth. It is said to be useful in fevers caused by deranged air and bile. Practically it is found very useful in chronic fevers, which have resisted other antiperiodics, and which are apt to recur after apparent recovery. In chronic fever with loss of appetite, the following confection is recommended by many writers.

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¹ पिप्पलीमधुसंभिन्नं गुडूची स्वरसं पिबेत् । जीर्ण ज्वर कफ प्लीह कासारोचकनाशनम् । गुडूची पर्पटं मुस्तं किरातं विश्वभेषजम् । वात पित्तज्वरे देयं पञ्चभद्रमिदं शुभम् । भावप्रकाशः ।

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Dhátrimodaka.² Take of chebulic and emblic myrobalans, ginger and long pepper, one part each, watery extract of gulancha, four parts, water sixteen parts. Boil till reduced to one-fourth, and prepare a confection with eight parts of sugar. When of proper consistence divide the mass into boluses of about a drachm each. One of these is taken every morning, in chronic fever with enlarged spleen, cough, loss of appetite, etc.

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² धात्रीमोदकः । धात्री पथ्यां कणां शुण्ठीं तुल्याञ्च चूर्णयेद् दृढम् ।

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Gulancha enters into the composition of a large number of prescriptions for chronic skin diseases. The juice of the plant or its decoction is given alone, or with the addition of *guggulu* or bdellium.¹ Numerous compound decoctions with the addition of various other drugs such as *nim*, turmeric, catechu, etc. are used in these diseases, as well as in gout and rheumatism.² Several oils, for external application are prepared with *gulancha* and are much used in skin diseases, rheumatic affections and nervous complaints.

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¹ वत्सादनुद्भवः काथः पीतो गुग्गुलुसंयुतः ।

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² गुडूच्याः स्वरसं कल्कं चूर्णं वा कायमेव वा । प्रभात कालमासेव्य मुच्यते-वातगोष्पितात् । चक्रदत्तः ।

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*Guḍuchyádi taila*.³ Take of fresh *gulancha*, eight seers, water, sixty-four seers, boil till reduced to one-fourth and strain. To the strained decoction, add prepared sesamum oil, four seers, and *gulancha* beaten to a paste with water, one seer, boil together till the water is evaporated. This oil is a favourite application in eruptive skin diseases from impure blood. The *Vrihat guḍuchyádi taila* is prepared by the addition of a number of other medicines in the form of paste, to the decoction of *gulancha* and the oil. Another compound oil called *Váta guḍuchyádi taila* is thus prepared. Take of *gulancha*, twelve seers, and a half water sixty-four seers. Boil till reduced to one fourth. Take of the fresh juice of *Adhatoda Vasica* (*vásaka*) and of *datura* leaves, each four seers, prepared mustard oil, four seers, aromatics in the form of paste one seer. Boil together the decoction of *gulancha* with the vegetable juices, oil and paste, in the usual

Linked texts (3)

Carakasaṃhitā — Agniveśa (Āyurveda) & Caraka, Sanskrit
Cakradatta (Cikitsāsaṅgraha) — Cakrapāṇidatta, Sanskrit
Bhāvaprakāśa — Bhāvamiśra 1550, Sanskrit