Names:-
Latin Saraca indica
Tamil Asoka pattai
Telugu Asoka patta
Canarese Asoka chekka
Malayal Asoka pattai
Urdu Asok
Asokah Seetalah tiktah
Graahee Varnyah Kashaayakah
Doshaa pachee Trishaa Daaha
Krimi Sosha Vishaa srajith.
Asoka is cooling, bitter, astringent, restoring complexion, and is stiptic. It matures the Doshas and is useful in Apachee, trishna, daaha, Krimi, Sosha, Visha and diseases of blood.
Dose:- Rarely given as a powder. Decoction is made, filtered and again reduced to a soft mass or a solid extract (Rasakriya). Dose of Rasakriya 5 grains.
Decoction of the dark boiled with water 1 in 16, reduced to one-fourth if dry, or 1 in 8 reduced to one-fourth if fresh. Dose ½ to 2 ounces with a little sugar or honey.
Action:- Astringent and tonic used specially in uterine haemorrhage or disorders.
Uses:- Its use is specially favoured in menstrual disorders particularly in irregular haemorrhage as an astringent tonic. It is also given in combination with Iron salts as a pill or in liquid form as in Asokarishta. The red flowered one is the real Asoka. But in Southern India the foliage tree found in the sides of roads called Naramaamidi (Polayalthia longifolia) is used and is reputed to give the desired results.
8. Aswagandha
Names: Latin Withania somnifera
Tamil Amukkura Kilangu
Telugu Penneru-Gadda
Canarese Hirre-Gedde
Malayal Amukkuram
Urdu Asgand
Aswagandhaa nila Sleshma
Switra Sodha Kshayaapahaa
Balyaa Rasaayanee Tiktaa
Kashaayochaati Sukralaa
Bhaavaprakasa.
Aswaghandha checks Vaata, Kapha Leucoderma, Dropsy and Consumption. It improves strength, it is a tonic, bitter and astringent, stimulating (heating) and improves sperm.
It is one of the drugs most used by me.
Dose:- 20 to 60 grains as powder mixed with sugar and ghee or milk according to digestive power
As a decoction, the same dose of powder boiled with 8 times the quantity of water, add equal quantity of milk filter and take with a little sugar or honey once or twice a day like coffee.
Action:- Nutritive and nervine tonic.
Uses:- It is one of the most reputed drugs in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoea for its tissue building properties. In weakness of the body after fevers or insomnia due to nervous break-down, it is given with very good results either as directed above or as a lehyam or confection. It is believed to be an antinode for vegetable poisons such as aconite and for poisons accumulated in the system due t syphilis or chronic ailments “Peruleni vyaadhiki pennerugadda” – (for a nameless disease give Aswagandha).
9. Aswattha Names:-
Latin Ficus Religiosa
Tamil Arasi Maram
Telugu Raavi Chettu
Canarese Aswatha
Malayal Arayal
Urdu Peepal
Pippalo durjarah seetah
Pitta sleshma Vranaasrajit
Guruh tuvarako rooksho
Varnyo yoni visodhanah.
Pippala (Aswatha) is stringed. It is difficult to digest (durjarah). It is cooling. It checks Pitta and Sleshma. It is guru and rooksha. It improves complexion. It is useful in the treatment of Vrana (ulcers) and diseases of the blood. It is good for Vaginal douching (Yoni Sodhanah).
Dose:- 20 to 60 grains of the powdered bark with honey. As a decoction the same dose boiled with 2 ounces of water reduced to half an ounce and given with honey. As a gargle the same decoction mixed with honey. As a Vaginal douche – 1 dram to 1 ounce of the bark is boiled with 40 to 80 ounces of water for an hour or so, so that a pink solution is formed. Filter and give as a Vaginal douche either alone or mixed with honey, Salt, Alum, or Borax, one teaspoonful to a tint. For an Enema or for washing wounds the same decoction may be used.
Action:- Astringent, Haemostatic, Antiseptic, Aphrodisiac, and tonic.
Uses:- Aswattha is one of the drugs most used as an astringent and antiseptic. Susruta classifieds it under Nyagrodhaadigana (group) which is most useful in the treatment of wounds.
Nyagrodhaadir gano vranyah
Sangraahi bhagna Saadhakah
Raktaitta Haro daahah
Medaghno Yonidosha hrit.
Nyagrodhaadhi group is very beneficial in the treatment of ulcers (Vranyah). It has astringent properties (Sangraahi), coagulates all sorts of secretions, favours the adhesion of fractured bones (Bhagna Saadhakah). It proves curative in a case of haemoptysis (Raktapitta hara). It relieves burning sensation. It is an antifat (Medaghna). It cures disorder of the uterus and Vagina. (Yonidosha Hrit). Some of the other drugs in the group are the Baanyan, Fig, Yestimadhu (Liquories) Arjuna, Mango, Jambu etc. They may also be used in combination with Aswattha or as a substitute for it. Charaka includes Aswattha in the group of the drugs which reduce the urine (Mootrasangrahaneeya).
I have been using the decoction of Aswattha very extensively for Vaginal douching with very good results.
Aswattha is highly recommended in the treatment of the following diseases.
(1) Vaata Rakta – A decoction of Aswattha is given with honey. Charaka Chikitsa, A. 20.
(2) Vrana (Ulcers) – Cover wounds with Aswattha leaf. They heal quickly. Charaka Chikitsa, A. 13.
Dust wounds with fine powders of Arjuna, Udumbara (fig) and Aswattja (peepal). The skin spreads quickly over the ulcers. Charaka Chikitsa, A. 13.
(3) Meha-Urinary diseases – Decoction of Aswattha is very useful in Neela Meha (blue urine).
(4) Aphrodisiac – The fruit of Aswattha, root, bark and tender shoot are boiled with milk and taken internally with sugar and honey. It is highly aphrodisiac. Susruta Chikitsa, A. 11.
(5) Fracture – The barks of Aswattha, Palaasaa, and Arjuna are very useful in bandaging for broken bones as soft but strong splints.
(6) Ear diseases – The leaves of Aswattha, Bilwa, Arka and Castor tree are crushed with Tila oil and Saindhava and baked in Puta paaka. The juice expressed from the mass is dropped comfortably hot into the ear. It relieves pain and heals the ulcer. Vag. Uttara, A. 18.
7) For swellings – The bark of Aswattha, Fig and Vata (Banyan) are ground into a nice paste and mixed with ghee and applied as a plaster over a swelling. The swelling is relieved. Vagbhata, Uttara, A. 25.
(8) Sterility in Women – A plant growing in an Aswattha tree (Badanika – Parasite) is boiled with milk and given internally. It helps to establish pregnancy.
(9) Vomiting – Dried Aswattha bark burnt into ashes and mixed in water and allowed to settle down. The supernatant fluid is filtered and given in severe vomiting. Chardim Jayanti Dustharam – Chakradatta.
(10) Burns – Burns heal quickly by dusting them with fine powder of dried Aswattha bark.
(11) Inflammation of the mouth – Fine powder of Aswattha bark is applied with honey to the mouth for relieving inflammation.
(12) Satadhauta Ghritham – Ghee is churned vigorously in decoction of Aswattha (100 times) and a butter-like substance is obtained. A little sajja rasa is also added sometimes. This is very cooling and useful in the treatment of burns and acute ulcers. It is used for Plague Buboes.
(13) The seeds of Aswattha are powdered and given along with other drugs in diabetes and urinary diseases.
(14) Glands in the neck – The ash of Aswattha bark made into an ointment is applied for suppurating glands in he neck as a plaster.
(15) A decoction of Aswattha bark is recommended as a drink to alleviate burning sensation in Gonorrhoea. It is also used in intestinal ulceration.
