83. Surakshaaram

Names:-        Latin             Pottassii nitras
                    Tamil             Vediuppu
                    Telugu           Surekaaram
                    Canarese        Surakhara
                    Malayal          Vediuppu
                    Urdu              Shora

Suraakshaaramcha Katukam
Teekshna mushnamcha Rechakam
Tiktamagner deeptikaram
Sookshmam khaaram Laghu Smritam
Daadhakrith Soshakrit Graahi
Vaatanuth Pitta Kopanam
Pleeha Moorchaa Mootra Kricchra
Netraruk Vaataraktanuth
Kumbhakaamilanuth
Kaasa naasaapaakancha Pootikaan
Sirah paakamcha Soolancha
Aadhmaanamchaiva naasayeth.
Nighantu Ratnaakaram.

Suraakshaaram (Potassium Nitrate) is pungent and bitter, acute and penetrating, heating and laxative. It improves the digestive power. It is subtle (Sookshma). It is Ksharam (caustic) and light. It causes burning sensation, and wasting (Sosa). It is a constrictor (Graahi). It checks vaata and excites Pitta. It is useful in the treatment of Pleeha, Moorcha (fainting), difficulty in passing urine, eye diseases, Vaata Rakta, deep Jaundice (Kumbha Kaamila), cough, inflammation in the nose, abscesses, inflammation in the head (sirah paakam), Colic and distention of the abdomen.

Dose:- 5 to 15 grains.

Action:- Diuretic, diaphoretic, cooling in small doses and irritant in large doses.
Antispasmodic and combustive in Asthma inhalation powders.

Uses:- It is used in combination with other medicines for its diuretic properties. A pinch or two of the powder is given with lemon juice diluted with plenty of water, in certain stages of cholera, to excite the secretion of urine. It is used in the preparation of Sankhadraavakam. It is also used in the preparation of asthma cigars or powders for inhalation along with Vaasa, Datoora, guggulu, devadaru and neem leaf etc. A piece of blotting paper soaked in solution of Suraakshaaram and dried, is burnt and the fumes are inhaled by some for the relief of the fit of asthma.

84. Swarnamukhi

Names:-        Latin             Cassia senna
                    Tamil             Nilavarai
                    Telugu           Sunamukhi
                    Canarese        Sunnaamakki
                    Malayal          Sunnamukhi
                    Urdu              Sana

Dose:- ½ to 2 tolas as a decoction either alone or with other drugs.
As a lehyam or confection with Coriander, Aaragwadha majjah, Kalkanda, Draaksha, rose-water or rose-buds and honey and a little tamarind also, if desired.
As a syrup.

Action:- Purgative.

Uses:- It causes free purgation of semi-solid stools. Its chief disadvantage is its nauseating taste. Its advantage is that it is one of the safest purgatives. The taste can be disguised to a great extent by the above confection. It makes the urine red and probably decreases the quantity also.

85. Talisapatri

Names:-        Latin             Abies Webbiana
                    Tamil             Taalisapatri
                    Telugu           Taalisapatri
                    Canarese        Taalisapatri
                    Malayal          Taalisapatri
                    Urdu              Taalisapatri, Zarunab

Taalessam Laghu Teekshnoshnam
Swaasa Kaasa Kaphaanilaan
Nihantyaruchi Gulamaama
Vahni Maandya Kshayaamayaan.

Taalisapatra is light, acute and heating. It is useful in the treatment of Swaasa (Asthma), Kaasa (cough), Kapha and Vaata diseases. It checks constipation, bad taste, Gulma, loss of digestive power and consumption.

Dose:- 5 to 15 grains of the powder with honey or as a compound with other couth remedies.
As a swarasam prepared with 8 times the quantity of water, with a little honey.

Action:- Antispasmodic, carminative, aromatic, mild expectorant and blood-purifier.

Uses:- It contains an aroma which probably has some specific action in improving the tone of the lung tissue. It is specially recommended in chronic cough and consumption. Taalisaadi choornam, of which it forms a very small part, is a favourite remedy for colds and coughs. It has an agreeable odour and is used to improve appetite and taste. It checks the vomiting sensation. Chakradutta recommends the powder to be taken with honey and Vaasaa swarasa in Raktapitta.

86. Tankanam

Names:-        Latin             Borax
                    Tamil             Vengaram
                    Telugu           Veligaaramu
                    Canarese        Beligara
                    Malayal          Pongaram
                    Urdu              Suhaga

Khadhitao Tankanam Kshaarah
Katooshnao Kaphanaasanah
Staavaraadi Vishaghnascha
Kaasaswaasaa pahaarakah
Virookshano Anilaharah
Sleshmahaa Pitta dooshanah
Agni deepti Karah teeshnao
Tankana Kshaara Uchyate.
Dhanvanthari Nighantu.

Tankana is a Kshaara (Alkali-caustic), pungent, and heating. It checks Kapha and Vegetable poisons. It is useful in the treament of Kaasa and Swaasa. It is dry, it checks Vaata and Kapha. It vitiates Pitta. It improves appetite. It is acute(penetrating-teekshna)

Dose:- 5 to 30 grains.

Action:- Diuretic, urinary-antiseptic and astringent.

Uses:- This is not much used alone but in combination with other drugs. It is Mutravirajanam or purifier of urine by lessening the inflammation of the urinary passages. Internally, it is also used in fevers as in Aanandabhairava Rasa and as intestinal antiseptic and astringent in dysentery.
Externally, it is used as an eye lotion and for washing wounds. It may also be used as cooling astringent lotion for swellings due to injury and as a mouth-wash or gargle in diseases of throat and tongue along with a little honey and water or along with honey and Yashtimadhu churnam for touching sore-throat.
A teaspoonful mixed in a pint or two of hot water or a decoction of Aswattha bark or Udumbara leaf is good for gargling and for vaginal douche.

87. Thilathailam

Names:-        Latin             Oleum sesami
                    Tamil             Nallennai
                    Telugu           Manchinoone
                    Canarese        Ellenne
                    Malayal          Nallennai
                    Urdu              Meethathel

Kashaayaanurasam swaadu
Sookshma mushnam Vyavaayicha
Tailam Samyoga Samskaaraath
Sarva rogaapaham matam.

Tila tailam (Gingelly oil) has an astringent taste as an auxiliary to sweet taste. It is subtle and therefore enters quickly into the tissues and is quickly diffused (Vyavaayicha). It is heating. By combination with other medical substances, it is used in a variety of ways in different diseases.

Dose:- Internally ¼ to ½ oz. As nutritive in dietary food with milk at bed time as  mild laxative. In some children, it is given mixe with equal parts of ghee and castor oil. It is considered to be Pitta Vardhakam and is prohibited in the dietary of patients suffering from excess of pitta.

Action:- Internally, nutritive and lubricant.
Externally, a soothing application and also nutritive.

Uses:- In India it is rarely used as a laxatve though the British Pharmacopoeia has approved it to be a substitute for Olive oil. Used alone internally as a medicine it is believed to increase Pitta and is therefore mixed with other drugs.
    Externally, rubbed to the body, it is a good cleaning agent and is also believed to be absorbed to some extent.
    It is used in the preparation of many medicated oils and ointments and is believed to carry the drugs into the tissues by its penetrability (Saratwam).

88. Thuttham

Names:-        Latin             Cupri sulphas
                    Tamil             Mailthuttham
                    Telugu           Mailthutthamu
                    Canarese        Mailthuttha
                    Malayal          Thuttham
                    Urdu              Mohurthuttha

Nissesha Dosha Vishahrit Gada soola moola
Kushtaamla paittika vibandha haram paramcha
Raasaayanam Vamana reka Karsm garaghnam
Switraapaham Gadita matra
Mavoorathuttham

Thuttham (Copper sulphate) removes completely the vitiated three doshs and Visha. It is useful in the treatment of heart diseases, soola (colic), piles, Kushta, Amlapitta, constipation and Leucoderma. It is a Rasaayanam (tonic). It causes vomiting and purging. It is an antidote for poisoning (Gaa visha).

Dose:-  ½ to 2 grains as an astringent.
            5 to 10 grains as an emetic. 

Action:- Internally in very small doses an expectorant and in large doses an emetic. Externally antiseptic and caustic.

Uses:- Externally a very dilute solution of it, 1 in 1000 or more is used for washing callous wounds. The crystal is used as a caustic for proud flesh of wounds and for touching granular lids. As Gurubasma, a compound powder with alum, it is muc used by Siddha physicians as expectorant and emetic. It is said that some physicians use it in the treatment of leposy. Burn a piece of copper sulphate in the fire, take the burnt crystal, and powder it into white ash. Put a pinch of the ash at the site of scorpion-bite and gently put on it a drop of water. A sharp burning sensation is felt which cures the pain of scorpion-bite. The powder should be prepared then and there or kept carefully in a stoppered bottle. A wick prepared by soaking it in copper sulphate solution and dried, is useful in widening small sinuses.