89. Thwak
Names:- Latin Cinnamomum zeylanicum
Tamil Lavangapattai
Telugu Lavangapatta
Canarese Lavangapatte
Malayal Lavangapattai
Urdu Dalcheeni
Varaamgam Laghu teekshnoshnam
Kapha Vaata Vishapaham
Kantha Vaktra ruhohanti
Siroruk Vasti sodhanam.
Dhanvanthari Nighantu.
Varaangam (cinnamon) is acute, penetrating, light and heating. It checks Kapha. Vaata and Visha. It is usefl in the treatment of diseases of the mouth and headache. It cleans the urinary bladder.
Dose:- 5 to 30 grains with honey, or as a swarasam with honey, or as a compound powder.
Action:- Carminative, antispasmodic, aromatic, stimulant, astringent and germicide.
Uses:- It is given along with other drugs in flatulence, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and to check griping pain and bad taste caused by other medicines. Kept in the mouth it removes the foul smell of the mouth. It is specially useful in sysentery, preferably given as a swarasam with honey in the early stages or as a compound powder with other astringents such as nutmeg, Salmali, Babbula and Ahiphena, the last with caution.
90. Trivrit
Names:- Latin Ipomea turpethum
Tamil Sivadai
Telugu Tegade
Canarese Tegade
Malayal Trikolpakkonna
Urdu Thuruludh
Trivruthaa Katu rushnaacha
Krimi Sleshmodara Jwaraan
Sopha Paandwaamaya pleehaan
Hanti Sreshtaa Virechane.
Trivruth is pungent, dry (non oily) and heating. It is useful in the treatment of Krimi, Sleshma, Udara, Jwara, Sopha, Paandu and diseases of the spleen (Pleeha). It is the best of purgatives (Sreshta).
Dose:- 10 to 60 grains of the powder with a little sugar and water or ground with equal parts of Harithaki and Sunthi in water and given with honey,
or 20 to 30 grains with an ounce of castor oil,
or as a lehyam with Draksha and spices.
Action:- In small doses laxative and in large doses purgative.
Uses:- This is the favourite purgative of Charaka (Trivrinmoolam virechane). It causes purgation without much gripping. It does not irritate the kidneys. In reasonable doses it is safe even in a pregnant woman. With a little honey or sugar it has pleasant taste. In dropsy, either due to heart, kidney or liver disease, it is very useful. The leaves of Trivrit, Sunthi and Palasa crushed and fried with a mixture of ghee and gingely oil or castor oil and given as a sakan prepared according to taste is recommended in Arsas along with curd (Dadhi). It is used in a variety of diseases, such as fevers, jaundice, piles, Raktapitta, Visarpa, Pitta-udara, Pitta-pandu, Vatasopha, Gulma, Consumption, Netra-roga and specially in Pitta diseases. I have been using it for over 20 years with very satisfactory results as Dhaanyakadi lehyam or Trivruthi lehyam along with other drugs.
91. Tuvaraka
Names:- Latin Hydnocarpus wightiana
Tamil Neeradimuthu
Telugu Neerudu
Canarese Sarvolu, Thuvaraka
Malayal Maravetti
Urdu Jangali Badam
Tuvaree Graahinee Prokta
Laghvee Kapha Vishaasrajit
Tiktoshnaa Vahnidaa Kandoo
Kushta Koshta Krimi Pranuth.
Tuvaraka is bitter, light and heating. It is a constrictor (graahi). It improves appetite. It checks Kapha, Visha, Rakta, Pitta, Kandu, Kushta, and Koshta Krimi.
Dose:- Internally 2 to 10 minims of the oil.
Externally as an ointment or oil
Action:- Blood-purifier, Krimihara, Kushtaharam and tonic.
Uses:- The oil is regarded as a specific for leprosy. There is no doubt that in some cases it has produced marvelous results. There are yet some cases specially advanced in which the result is not distinctly seen. Strict diet restrictions given below are probably necessary. It should also be applied freely over the body during the course of the treatment. It is used to improve the state of the blood as in leprosy, pthisis, skin diseases etc. It is also used in scrofula, secondary syphilis, pthisis and rheumatism with stiff joints, both internally and externally. It may also be given in combination with neem oil which has a similar action.
It is said that the patient suffering from leprosy must have his body purified by Panchakarmas and should observe strict diet, free from oil and salt for five days and then take rice with Mudgayusha or greengram water for fifteen days.
92. Useeram
Names:- Latin Andropogon muricatus
Tamil Vilamichhamver
Telugu Vattiveru
Canarese Lavancha
Malayal Ramachham
Urdu Bala
Useeram paachanam seetam
Stambhanam laghu tiktakam
Madhuram Jwarahrit Vaanti
Madanuth Kapha Pittanuth
Trishnaasra Visha Veesarpa,
Daaha Kricchra vranaapaham.
Useera is bitter and sweet. It is light and constrictor. It improves digestion. It checks Kapha and Pitta. It is useful in the treatment of fever, vomiting, intoxication (Mada), thirst, vitiation of blood, Visha, Visarpa, daaha, difficulty in passing urine and Vrana.
Dose:- 5 to 15 grains of the powder with sugar
or ½ to 1 tola as a decoction or infusion, or 1/8 tola boiled with a cup of water and taken as a drink with milk and sugar, or as a syrup, or as an anupanam to other drugs.
Action:- Cooling, diaphoretic, diuretic, antispasmodic and emmenagogue.
Uses:- Along with other drugs it is given in thirst and burning sensation in fever, deranged menstruation, rheumatism, gout etc. It is of special use as a ingredient in Shadangakashayam (Ref p. 82). It is used in the preparation of cooling hair oils, antiseptic soaps and bathing powders and pastes. It is useful for flavouring water and also for making door and window-screens which, when wetted in hot-weather, cool the rooms. It is a cooling drug and as seetakashaya with water it is very useful in relieving inflammation and burning sensation in the urinary tract.
