56. Lodhra
Names:- Latin Symplocos racemosa
Tamil Vellaloddi pattai
Telugu Lodduga
Canarese Pachettu
Malayal Pachoti
Urdu Lodh
Lodhra dwayantu tuvaram
Chakshusyam Seetalam laghu
Ateesaara aruchi Visha
Pradaraani Vinaasayet.
Both the Lodhas (white and red) are astringent, cooling and light. Lodhra is good for the eyes. It is useful in the treatment of Ateesaara, Visha and Pradaara.
Dose:- ½ to 1 oz. of the bark as a decoction boiled with 8 times the quantity of water, reduced to one fourth, strained and taken with honey.
Action:- Astringent and uterine tonic.
Uses:- It is highly recommended as a specific in cases of Pradara and other uterine affections. For its astringent property, it is very much used in cases of dysentery and haemorrhage. It is recommended as a dusting powder for wounds. It is also mentioned in Kushta and diseases of the eye. The decoction is used as a gargle with a little honey in relaxed uvula and bleeding gums and as a wash for ulcers. Applied as a plaster it is said to promote maturation of boils.
57. Madhu
Names:- Latin Mel
Tamil Thene
Telugu Thene
Canarese Jenutuppa
Malayal Thane
Urdu Shahadh
Vaatalam guru Seetamcha
Raktapitta Kaphapaham
Sandhaatru cchedanam rooksham
Kashaaya Madhuram Madhu.
Madhu (honey) is guru, dry (rooksha), astringent and sweet. It is cooling (seetam). It is useful in the treatment of Raktapitta and Kapha. It is very good for joining the edges of cut wounds and for cutting proud flesh in ulcers.
Dose:- 1 to 4 drams with water for a single dose and 5 to 30 minims for repeated administration.
Action:- Astringent, antiseptic, nutritive, aphrodisiac and tonic.
Uses:- It is a pleasant vehicle for other medicines of the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia. It itself is reputed to remove phlegm. For its nutritive properties and its pleasat taste it is used in all lehyams. It is also given mixed with betel leaf juice as a Vehicle for other medicines.
It is specially recommended in Kapha diseases when phlegm is predominant. Taken early in the morning with equal parts of cold water it is reputed to cure obesity. It is not contraindicated in diabetes according to Ayurveda. Mixed with milk and ghee, it is specially recommended in consumption as a tissue builder. The same is also given as an aphrodisiac along with Gudoochisatwam, Vidaari or Aswagandha. It is given to children along with fresh juice of betel leaves as a carminative. To the new born baby, a few drops may be given every two or three hours as a diet for first few days. It is also recommended as an antiseptic dressing for burns and cuts. It is used either alone or mixed with ghee. Made into a paste with a little chunnam, it is used as a poultice for abscesses. Honey ad betel leaf juice are both said to conain certain valuable Vitamins and honey is said to posses, hygroscopic property which destroys microbes.
58. Madhusnuhi
Names:- Latin Smilax china
Tamil Parangi pattai
Telugu Pharangichekka
Canarese Chinipavu
Malayal Pavu
Urdu Chopcheeni
Dweepaantara Vacha Kinchit
Tiktoshna Vahnideeptikrit
Vibandhaadhmaana soolaghnow
Sakrit mootra Visodhinee
Vaatavyaadheena pasmaara
Munmaadam tanuvedanaam
Vyapohati Viseshena
Phirangaamaya naasanee
Bhaavaprakaasa.
Dweepaantaravacha (Madhushnuhi) is slightly bitter and slightly heating. It improves the appetite. It removes constipation (Vibandha), checks distention of the abdomen and colic. It purifies faecal matter and urine. It is useful in the treatment of Vaata Vyaadhis, Apasmaara (Epilepsy). Insanity, pains in the body (tanuvedana). It is specially useful in the treatment of Syphilis (Phirangaamaya).
Dose:- ¼ to 1 tola of the powder with ghee and sugar or in combination with other drugs.
Action:- General tonic.
Uses:- It is very much used in late stages of syphil is and leprosy as a tonic and alternative. It enters into the composition of lehams intended for tissue-building and as aphrodisiacs. It is also used in scrofula and chronic rheumatism.
