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.

93. Vacha

Names:-        Latin             Acorus calamus
                    Tamil             Vasambu
                    Telugu          Vasa
                    Canarese        Baje
                    Malayal          Vayambu
                    Urdu              Bach

Vachogragandhaa Katukaa
Tiktoshnaa Vaanti Vahnikrit
Vibandhaadhmaana Soolaghni
Sakrinmootra Visodhanee
Apasmaara Kaphonmaada
Bhoota Jantwanilaan haret.
Bhaavaprakaasa.

Vacha is strong smelling and pungent and bitter. It is heating. It causes vomiting. It improves appetite. It relieves vibandha (constriction) and distention of the abdomen and colic. It helps to discharge stools and urine. It is useful in the treatment of Apasmaara, Kapha diseases, Insanity and Microbic infections (Bhoota) or hysterical affections. It is a vermicide. It checks Vaata.

Dose:- 4 to 15 grains of the powder with honey.

Action:- Internally, bitter, aromatic, stimulant, carminative, diuretic, astringent, anthelmintic, mild laxative, aphrodisiac and tonic.
Externally parasiticide.

Uses:- There are two varieties of it and the white is preferred for use as tonic. It is usually combined with bitter tonics and aromatics and given in ague, habitual constipation, atonic dyspepsia, colic, flatulence and paralytic and nervous affections. It is very much recommended in epilepsy (Bhaavaprakaash). The burnt charcoal is given with honey in acidity and vomiting of children. It is also given in dysentery, diarrhoea, cough, and calculous affections. It is one of the many ingredients of aphrodisiac preparations.

Externally, it is used as a dusting powder for wounds. As an external application for swellings, it is ground with water into a paste along with equal parts of mustard and applied. It is recommended in inflammatory swellings.

94. Vakuchi

Names:-        Latin             Psoralea corylifolia
                    Tamil             Karbogarisi
                    Telugu           Bavanchalu
                    Canarese        Bavuchige
                    Malayal          Karkolari
                    Urdu              Bavancha, Bavchi

That Phalam pittalam Kushta
Kaphaanila haram Katu
Kesyam twachyam Vami swaasa
Kaasa Sodhaama Paandunuth.
Dhanvanthari Nighantu.

Vaakuchi is pungent. It increases pitta. It checks Kapha and Vaata. It is useful in the treatment of Kushta, Vami (vomiting), Swaasa, Kaasa, Sodha, Aamadosha and Paandu. It promotes the growth of hair and improves the skin.

Dose:- 10 to 30 grains of the powder.

Action:- Blood-purifier.

Uses:- Its special use is in leucoderma both internally and externally. The powder is used as a bathing powder in ointments and the oil extracted by Pataalayantra is also used in ointments. It has been found specially useful in many cases of leucoderma along with Thuvaraka and Nilini, both internally and externally.

95. Vamsalochana

Names:-        Latin             (English) Bamboo manna
                    Tamil             Moongiluppu
                    Telugu           Veduruppu
                    Canarese        Biduruppu
                    Malayal          Mulankarpuram
                    Urdu              Thabashir

Kashaayam Madhuram
Kaasaagham Vamsalochanam
Moothrakricchra Kshaya Swaasa
Hitaa balyaacha Brumhanee.

Vamsalochana is astringent, sweet, bitter and pungent. It checks cough. It is useful in the treatment of difficulty in passing urine, Consumption and hard breathing. It gives strength and makes the body plumpy (Brumhanee).

Dose:- 5 to 15 grains with honey or ghee and sugar.

Action:- Cooling, tissue-builder and tonic.

Uses:- It is used in cough, consumption, astma and fever. In combination with other astringent medicines, it is given in chronic dysentery and internal haemorrhages. Its action seems to be due to the presence of some organic salts which improve the quality of blood, elastic tissue and bone. It appears to have a soothing action in the urinary tract and also on the lung tissue. It is also given in seminal weakness and is considered as a substitute for Pravala and Mukta and is more cooling. It is one of the chief ingredients of Chyavanapraasa and Vasaavaleham, the reputed tonics and expectorants and of Talisadi and Sitopaladi churnams, popular expectorants. 10 or 15 grains of the powder rubbed with a little honey and preserved Amalaki (Amalaki murraba) makes a simple and a very good combination in consumption or wasting diseases as a tonic. It is also used in chronic gonorrhoea and is one of the constituents of many aphrodisiac preparations.