45. Katukarohini
Names:-
Latin Pierorhiza kurrooa
Tamil Katukarohini
Telugu Katukarohini
Canarese Katukarohini
Malayal Katukarohini
Urdu Kutki
Katukaa pittajit tiktaa
Katuh Seetaasra Daaha jit
Balaasaa rochakaan hanti
Vishama Jwara naasanee.
Katukarohini checks Pitta. It is tikta and Katu. It alleviates cold,Raktapitta (anaemia) and burning sensation. It checks also Kapha (Balaasa), anorexia, and Malarial fever.
Dose:-5 to 15 grains of the powder to be taken with water or ¼ to 1 tola as a decoction with other drugs.
Action:- Febrifuge, stimulant of the liver and bitter tonic and laxative to children.
Uses:- It is given in dyspepsia, hepatic derangements and jaundice. It is a valuable anti-periodic in low continued fevers and is given to children in worms. It is a mild laxative. It helps to purify the milk of the women (Charaka). In chronic malarial fevers the decoction made as follows is very useful.
Katuki grains 20
Kirata grains 20
Swarnamuki grains 20
Harithaki grains 20
Draksha 1 tola
Guda 2 tolas
Soak all the above as rough powder in water along with Draksha and jaggery over night in a silver or earthen vessel. Strain through cloth and take early in the morning daily. Regulate the dose so as to have only one good motion daily. A decoction of the same may also be given.
The decoction acts as a mild laxative even without Swarnamukhi.
This is very successful in cases where Quinine fails, especially in jaundice of chronic malaria and is also useful in relieving the bad effects of Quinine. Swarnamuki may be omitted in some cases. The decoction of them may be given in divided doses according to constitutions.
46. Khadira
Names:- Latin Acacia catechu
Tamil Karunkali
Telugu Chendra
Canarese Kaggali
Malayal Karungali
Urdu Khyre
Khardiraa Seetalaa Dantyah
Kandoo Kaasaa ruchi Pramuth
Tiktah Kashaayo Medaghna
Krimi Meda Jwara Vranaam
Switra Sodhaana Pittaasra
Paandu Kushta Kapham Haret.
Khadira is cooling and strengthens the teeth. It checks itching, cough and anorexia. It is bitter and astringent. It checks medas, Krimi Meha, Jwara and Vrana. It is also useful in the treatment of Leucoderma, Swelling, Rakta pitta, Paandu, Kushta and Kapha.
Babboola – Babool tree has similar properties but is a less degree. When Khadira is not available, Babboola bark may be used instead.
Dose:- ¼ to 1 tola of the brk as a decoction prepared in the usual manner.
Action:- Astringent, blood-purifier and tonic.
Uses:- This is very much mentioned in the treatment of leprosy. Thuvaraka seeds are boiled in the decoction of Khadira and the oil so extracted is specially mentioned for use both internally and externally in the treatment of leprosy. (Dose 5 to 15 minims). The decoction of the bark or compounds containing the bark or stem is used as blood-purifier in skin diseases and in syphilis. It is also used in diarrhoea, dysentery ad haemorrhage ad as a general tonic. As an antiseptic gargle for ulcers in the mouth, throat or tonsils or diseases of the gums and teeth, the same decoction is very useful with a little honey.
Externally the decoction forms an astringent lotion for cleaning ulcers and for vaginal irrigation. It is also used in the preparation of tooth powders.
The dry extract of Khadira is called Kadirasaram and is sold in the bazaar as hard pieces, called Kaachu (Kaachukattie). This extract is very useful as a powerful astringent and may be used in the place of the above drug in a very dilute solution or as a powder in combination with other drugs.
47. Kirata
Names:- Latin Andrographis paniculata
Tamil Nilavembu
Telugu Nelavemu
Canarese Nelabevu
Malayal Kiriatu, Nelavepu
Urdu Chiraita
Kiraatah Saarako rookshah
Seetalah tiktako laghuh
Sannipata Jwara Swaasa
Kapha Pittasra daahanuth
Kaasa Sodha Trishaa Kushta
Jwara Vrana Krimi Pramuth.
Kirata (Chirata) is bitter, rooksha (dry) and light. It is cooling. It liquefies the excretions (Saarakah). It checks Kapha and Pitta. It is useful in the treatment of Sannipaata fevers, Swaasa, Raktapitta, Daaha, Kaasa, Sodha, Thirst, Kushta, Fevers generally, Vrana nd Krimi.
Dose:- 10 to 30 grains of the powder with hot-water or honey or as decoction with Rasna, Bhaarngi, Sunti and castor oil in vaata diseases, with Katuki, Triphala, Draaksha, and sugar in Pitta diseases and with Sunti, Kantakari, Vaasa and honey in Kapha diseases.
Action:- Febrifuge, antiperiodic, antipyretic, hepatic stimulant, blood-purifier and tonic.
Uses:- It has a great reputation as one of the best remedies for Malaria, even better than Quinine. Its advantage probably lies in its action on the liver. It forms 50% of Sudarsana churna, the popular remedy for all kinds of fevers and is one of the chief ingredients of the popular decoctions or powders used in serious ailments due to the vitiation of all the three doshas (Sannipaata) exhibiting the symptoms of Vaata, Pitta or Kapha or their various combinations.
In combination with Seetamsurasa or Sannipaata-bhairava rasa or other fever pills it seems to act better in acute diseases. As an external application for itch or skin diseases, it is used with ghee or oil and powdered pepper.
