59. Madhoochista
Names:- Latin Cera flaa (Bees wax)
Tamil Thane mezhugu
Telugu Mainam
Canarese Jenumena
Malayal Mezhugu
Urdu Moum
Sikdhakam Snigdha Madhuram
Bhootaghnam bhagna Sandhikrit
Hanit Veesarpa Kandwaadeen
Vranaropana muttamam
Bhedanam picchilam Swaadu
Kushta Vaatasraji mridu.
Madhoochista (Sikdhakam) is lubricating (Oily-Snigdha), sweet and soft (mrudu). It check infection (Bhootaghnam) and unites broken parts. (Bhagna Sandhikrit) of bone. It checks Veesarpa (Erysipelas), itching, etc. It is the best for healing ulcers. It loosens bowels; it is sticky. It is useful in the treatment of Kushta and Vaata Rakta.
Action:- Antiseptic, emollient, lubricant and is used mostly externally in ointments.
Uses:- Its chief property is to solidify oils at ordinary temperature. It has got a special reputation in promoting union in fractures and in giving a healthy tone to the skin. It makes a soothing ointment to chronic ulcers.
60. Manjishta
Names:- Latin Rubia cordifolia
Tamil Manjishti
Telugu Manjishta
Canarese Manjishta
Malayal Manchatti
Urdu Manjit
Manishta Madhuraa tiktaa
Kashaayaaswaravarna krith
Gururushna Visha sleshma
Sodha Yonyaakshi Karnaruk
Raktaateesaara Kushtaasra
Visarpa Vrana Meha nuth
Bhaavaprakaasa.
Dose:- 10 to 30 grains of the drug with 1 or 2 oz. of water or along with other drugs.
Action:- Blood-purifier.
Uses:- It is a reputed blood-purifier and is used in skin diseases and in some cases of leprosy and leucoderma. Its internal administration is believed to alter discoloration of the body and to improve complexion (Vyangeshu Manjishta – Chakradutta). It is also said that it works well in eliminating the poison from the body. Sushruta prescribes a decoction of Manjishta with Chandanam in cases of Manjishtameha. It is used as an antiseptic and coloring aget in ointments as in Pindataila and in the preparation of hair oils.
61. Maricham
Names:- Latin Piper nigrum
Tamil Milagu
Telugu Mirayaalu
Canarese Menasu
Malayal Kurumilagu
Urdu Kalimirch
Maricham Katukah teekshnam
Deepanam Kapha Vaata jit
Ushnam Pittakaram rooksham
Swaasa soola Krimim haret.
Maricham (pepper) is pungent, acute, and improving appetite. It checks Kapha and Vaata. It is heating. It promotes Pitta and is dry (rooksha). It is useful in the treatment of Swaasa, Sula (colic), and Krimi.
Doses:- 5 to 15 grains of the powder to be taken with honey or ghee or sugar or jaggery, or ¼ to ½ tola as a decoction boiled in the usual manner with a little honey or ghee or as a rasam or chutney prepared with lemon juice, tamarind and other condiments.
Actions:- Febrifuge, antiperodic, antipyretic, stimulant to heart, carminative, anthelmintic and parasiticide. In small doses, it is a urinary antiseptic and in large doses an irritant.
Uses:- It is very commonly used in the early stages of all feves and also as a preventive of further troubles in cold, catarrh and influenza. It is a very good digestive and carminative. Hence it is given in cass of diarrhoea, dyspepsia, latulence and atony of the stomach. It relieves suffering in intermittent fevers by causing perspiration. It also seems to have a specific action in curing Malaria. In cough, cold asthma and other pulmonary affections, it is given as a powder with ghee, sugar and honey or as decoction with milk, like coffee or tea. It acts as a stimulant to the heart and increases expectoration. As an anthelmintic, it is given along with other drugs. It is also given internally as a pill along with Aristolochia bracteata (Aadutinnapaalai) in doses of 5 grains of the powder, with the mass of the leaf of about a marble size, in eczema and syphilis of the three stages. The same prescription is used as a secret remedy in cases of cholera and in appendicitis by some physicians. Milk boiled with pepper and taken at night is a excellent recipe for improving blood (“Marichaikvathitham dugdam pane raathrow prashasyathe, rasaayanam thena vriddhi syaathi” Haareetha.) It is advisable to give it in elephantiasis daily. In gonorrhoea and gleet it acts as a stimulant and urethral antiseptic in small doses and may be given along with milk and kalkanda churnam.
Externally, it is a local irritant and causes burning sensation of the skin. It is used to relieve headache and is applied as a pste with water comfortably hot or ground with equal parts of rice and a little water and applied as a hot paste to the forehead. A local application relieves pain due to neuritis. In night-blindness a paste of pepper with curd is recommended for application into the eyes as an ointment by Vagbhata. In skin diseases, particularly eczema, pepper powder is applied with ghee or kuppameni leaf juice or as an ointment made up of Aadutinnapaalai (Gadidegadapaaku and butter.)
62. Musta
Names:- Latin Cyperus rotundus
Tamil Koraikilangu
Telugu Tungamustalu
Canarese Badramushtie
Malayal Muttangya
Urdu Nagarmotha
Mustam Katugraahi
Tiktam deepana paachanam
Kashaayam Kapha Pittaasra
Trut Jwaraaruchi Jantunut.
Musta is cooling, pungent, astringent, and bitter. It is graahi (constrictive). It improves appetite and is also digestive. It checks Kapha, Pitta and Raktapitta. It is useful in the treatment of thrist, fever, anorexia and Krimi.
Dose:- 5 to 15 grains of the powder to be taken with honey or ¼ to 1 tola to be taken as a decoction or infusion prepared in the usual way or ½ tola boiled with a seer of water or soaked over-night as a seetakashaaya.
Action:- Diaphoretic, demulcent, diuretic, aromatic, stimulent and galactagogue.
Uses:- In fevers pitta of type i.e. when predominant symptoms are thirst, burning sensation of the body, delirium, jaundiced eyes etc., its use is specially indicated. It is also given in cholera for suppression of urine. The drink is recommended as a diuretic and for relieving thirst in fevers and in diabetes of pitta type or it may be given as Shadanga kashaya (“Ghanachandana suntyambu parpatoseer saadhita” – Vagbhat.)
It is used as an ingredient of dusting and bathing powders on account of its fine fragrance and also of its antiseptic and Wormicide properties. It is very popular with the ladies of South India for its fragrance. It also forms a component of hair oils.
