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.

10. Bala

Names:-         Latin            Sida cordifolia
                    Tamil            Chitaamuttie
                    Telugu          Lunjapatnala chettu, Chittaa-mutti
                    Canarese       Kadira beru
                    Malayal         Kurunthttie
                    Urdu             Bariar

Balan Snigdhaa himaa Svaaduh
Vrishvaa balyaa tridoshanuth
Raktapitta Kshayam hanti
Balaujo vardhayatyapi
Dhanvanthari Nighantu

Bala is greezy, cooling and sweet. It is an aphrodisiac and strengthening. It checks the three doshas, Rakta, Pitta and Kshaya. It improves strength and Ojas also.

Dose:- Generally used as a decoction – 1 Tola of the drug boiled with 8 times the quantity of water down to one fourth and given along with a pinch or two of pippali or Thrikatu choornam or with milk and sugar as a pleasant soothing beverage or as a compound in Quatha choornams.

Ksheerabala Thailam – Bala – Whole plant 1 part, water 4 parts, make decoction and filter. Add milk equal parts, oil 1.4 part – Boil till oil remains.

Action:- Vaataharam.

Uses:- It is believed to remove the poisons of auto-intoxication such as those caused in rheumatism or fevers. The decoction is given as an anupanam for other medicines such as pills and is expected to relieve pains in the body and also wind in the bowels. It is believed to have a soothing tonic effect on the nervous system and is used as an oily extract boiled hundred times with milk and known popularly as Ksheerabala thailam.

11. Bhallathaka.

Names:-        Latin             Semecarpus amnacardium
                    Tamil             Shengottai
                    Telugu           Nalla jeedi vittu
                    Canarese       Gerika beeja
                    Malayal          Cherkuru
                    Urdu              Bhilava

          Bhallatakah Katutiktoshno
          Madhurah Kriminaasavat
          Gulmaarso grahanee Kushtam
          Hanti vaata Kaphaaniavaan.
          Dhanvanthari Nighantu.

Bhallataka is pungent and sweet and heating. It destroys Krimi, Kapha, and Vaata diseases. It is useful in the treatment of gulma, Asras (piles), grahanee (Dysentery) and Kushta.

Dose:- 1 to 4 seeds boiled with 8 oz. Of milk, strained and taken with a little ghee and sugar.
Or as a decoction with 8 times the quantity of water, reduced to 1/8 and the filtrate taken with milk after smearing the mouth and throat with ghee (Charaka) or as a Lehyam. 

Diet:- Rice with ghee and milk. Sugar may be used. Salt and tamarind are to be excluded.

Action:- Stimulant, carminative, antirheumatic, antisyphilitic, anodyne, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac and tonic.
Locally caustic and vesicant.

Uses:- Bhallathaka is one of the drugs, which in the hands of certain physicians produces extraordinarily beneficial results. The processes of treatment by the drug are heroic and the results are in some cases miraculous. Bhallathaka is one of Charaka’s most favourite Rasayanas (tonics). “Kaphajo na sa rogosthi, na vibandhosti kaschana, yam na bhallathakam hanyath, seeghra magnibalapradam” (Charaka).

In rheumatism, in almost all cases, it acts as a specific in relieving the pain and inflammation. As an antisyphilitic in all the three stages, it is used as a popular remedy today in rural areas. The diet restriction seems to be necessary or at least helps to expedite the cure. In cancer or inoperable tumours, it relieves pain and in some cases resolves the tumour. It is used ordinarily in piles, indigestion, worms, asthma, enlargement of spleen, leucoderma, rheumatism, etc. The seed is heated in the flame of a lamp and the oil is dropped in a cup of milk and given in cough due to relaxed throat and uvula.

Externally, it is used as an application for alopecia ground with honey into a paste. Boiled with oil and scented stuffs, it is used as a hair oil and is reputed to promote the growth of hair. The dark acrid oil exuding from the seeds is used as a blistering agent by the poorer classes. The blistering and poisonous properties are counteracted by smearing gingelly oil locally.

Workers with the drug in the pharmacy smear gingelly oil to their hands and they are free from the poisonous effects. Otherwise, itching sensation, blisters and swelling of the whole body, specially of the face, may result by mere proximity not even without touch of the drug, whereas combined with ghee, oil or milk internally and with oil, externally, the drug is safe.

 Antidotes for poisoning by Bhallathaka:-

       1.             Internally, swarasa or the juice of the bark of Butea frondosa (Palaasa)
2.             Swarasam of the roots of Duraalabaa
3.             Swarasam or decoction of Taanikaaya
4.             Swarasam of Chirrikoora with kalkanda
5.             Kalkanda and milk.

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