18. Dantibeeja

Names:-        Latin             Croton tiglium
                    Tamil             Nervaalam
                    Telugu           Nepaalam
                    Canarese        Jayapaala
                    Malayal          Nervaalam
                    Urdu              Jamalgotg

Jayapaala Katurushnah
          Krimihaaree Virechakah
          Deepanah Kapha Vaataghno
          Jatharaamava nasanah.

Croton seeds (Jaya paala) is pungent and heating. It is a purgative. It improves digestion. It checks Kapha and Vaata and is useful in the treatment of Krimi and abdominal diseases.

Dose:- ½ to 2 grains of the purified seed or one seed just charred in a flame.

Action:- Drastic purgative.

Uses:- It is a good purgative. But, it causes gripping and irritation if given alone and if it is not properly purified.

The methods of purification generally used are either soaking the seeds in cowdung, boiling them with milk or frying them in ghee or castor oil. The powdered seed is generally taken mixed with Hareethai, Sunti or Omam and other carminatives. Its special advantage is the small dose and absence of bad taste. It is very much recommended when brisk purgation and immediate low blood-pressure are demanded, specially in diseases such as apoplexy, heart disease etc. In the way in which it is given after purification by Ayurvedic physicians, it does not seem to be dangerous s the croton oil of the British Pharmacopoeia. It is very much recommended in ascites; but I have not tried it enough. It is contra-indicated in pregnancy and irritable conditions of the stomach and kidneys.

19. Daaruharidra

Names:-        Latin            Berberis aristata
                    Tamil            Maramanjal
                    Telugu          Maanupasupu
                    Canarese       Maradarisina
                    Malayal         Maramanjal
                    Urdu             Jarkihaldi

                    Tiktaa Daaruharidraasyaat
                    Rookshoshna Vrana mehajit
                    Karnanetrmukhodbhootam
                    Rujaan Kandoomcha naasayet. 

Daaruharidra is bitter. It is rookha and heating. It is useful in the treatment of Vrana, Meha, diseases of the ear, eye and mouth and in itching.

Dose:- 10 to 60 grains as a powder with honey or sugar in small doses or as decoction or like tea with milk and sugar in large doses.

Action:- Internally – antimalarial, febrifuge and blood-purifier.
Externally – Antiseptic and antiphlogistic.

Uses:- It enters into the combination of fever powders and mixtures. It is a mild diuretic and purifier of urine. It stimulates the liver and is particularly useful in fevers caused by torpid liver. It is a favourite of some physicians who use it frequently in Malaria and other fevers. It is used very much as an antiseptic wash, ointment or plaster. For relieving pain in the eye and for contracting the pupil the solid extract is mixed with opium and applied round the eye.

          The powder of the liquid extract (Rasout) forms an ingredient of many antiseptic ointments. It is recommended in erysipelas (Visarpa). It has got almost the same properties as of Haridra or turmeric and is more used internally than the latter.

20. Devadaaru

Names:-        Latin             Pinus deodara
                    Tamil             Devadaaru
                    Telugu           Devadaaru
                    Canarese       Devadaaru
                    Malayal          Devadaram
                    Urdu              Devadar

                    Devadaaru Laghu Srigdham
                    Tiktoshnam Katu Paakicha
                    Nibandhaadhmaana Sodhaama
                    Tandraa Hikkaa Jwaraasrajit
                    Prameha Peenasa sleshma
                    Kaasa Kandoo Sameeranut.

Devadaaru is light and lubricating. It is acute and pungent in action. It is useful in the treatment of constipation, distention of abdomen, dropsy, Aama, Sleepiness, Hiccough, fever, Diabetes and other urinary disorders, chronic nasal inflammation, Kapha, Kaasa, itching and Vaata diseases.

Dose:- As a decoction 2 tolas to be boiled with 16 parts of water, boiled down to 4 or 8 tolas and taken with sugar or as tea with milk and sugar.

Action:- Carminative, blood-purifier, probably increases Phagacytosis, mild diuretic, diaphoretic, antiphlogistic and antiseptic.

Uses:- This is one of the most useful drugs which though not very much used separately, is used in combination with other antipyretics. It has a fine fragrance and is specially recommended in glandular diseases and in consumption. The oil or tarry oil obtained by destructive distillation of Devadar is used as an external application for wounds and may also be used internally in leprosy, syphilis and other allied disorders. It is a diaphoretic and diuretic and deserves to be used more than at present, but genuine stuff is not easily available.

          Externally, it is used as an antiseptic and antiphlogistic and is applied as a hot paste with water.

21. Dhaanyakam

Names:-        Latin             Coriandrum Sativum
                    Tamil             Kottamalli virai, Dhaniya
                    Telugu           Dhaniyalu
                    Canarese        Kottambari
                    Malayal          Kottamalli
                    Urdu              Dhania

          Dhaanyakam Tuvaram Snighdham
                    Avrishyam mootralam Laghu
                    Tiktam Katoosha Veeryamcha
                    Deepanam Paachanam Smritam
                    Jwaraghnam Rochanam Graahi
                    Swaadu Paaki Tridoshanut
                    Trishnaa Daaha Vami Swaasa
                    Kaasaamaarsah Krimi pranut.

          Dhaanyaka is astringent, oily, slightly pungent and bitter and Madhura in Vipaaka, slightly improves sperm (avrishyam). Increases urine; improves appetite; matures aama; creates taste for food, slightly constricts and checks Tridoshas. It is useful in fevers, thirst, burning sensation, vomiting, hard breathing (Swaasa) cough, Aamadosha, piles and Krimi.

Dose:- ¼ to 1 tola as a decoction with 8 times the quantity of water reduced to one-fourth.
   20 to 60 grains with sugar or in combination with other aromatics as powder or as a condiment according to taste.
   Liquid extract of Dhaanyaka ground with water obtained by washing rice (Thandulodaka) and a little sugar is given in teaspoonful doses for children as gripe water.
   The green leaf as a chutney with tamarind, lemon or curd and chillies or pepper and salt or as a rasam.

Action:- Aromatic stimulant, digestive, mild expectorant, diuretic, febrifuge and tonic.

Uses:- It is used to disguise the taste and smell of many drugs such as Senna and also to auxiliarate their use. It is a milder stimulant than ginger or pepper, is less irritant and more pleasant especially for indigestion and colic of children; and for catarrh, cold and cough of infants it makes an excellent decoction. A tumblerful of hot decoction, given at the height of fever, relieves thirst, produces perspiration and reduces fever. It improves the appetite and helps in a natural cure of cute short fevers of climatic origin. For Dhaanyaka coffee see Aswagandha.

22. Dhattoora

Names:-        Latin             Datura fastuosa
                    Tamil             Oomattai
                    Telugu           Oomettha
                    Canares         Ummatta
                    Malayal          Ummam
                    Urdu              Datura

                    Prabhaavena Jwaram Jayet
                    Twagdosha Kriccha Kandooti
                    Jwarahaaree Bhramaavahah
                    Dhanvanthari Nighantu

Dhattura is bitter, and heating. It improves complexion and relieves pain due to wounds. It is used externally in Kushta. It checks fever by its pharmacodynamic power (Prabhaavaa) by internal use. It is useful in the treatment of skin diseases, difficulty in passing urine, itching and fevers. It causes giddiness.

Dose:- Of the swarasam 10 drops to a teaspoonful.
Of the oil prepared with four times the quantity of swarasam – 3 to 10 drops with milk.
Of the seeds ½ to 2 grains.

Action:- Anodyne, specific in poisons due to bite of rabid dogs or poisonous insects and insanity and as a sedative in fevers.
          Externally it relieves pain, and inflammation and kills parasites. Mydriatic (dialates pupil) and relieves pain in the eyes.
          It is described to be a curative of fever by its Prabhava (“pittakrit” Rajavallabha, “Prabhavena jwaram jayet,” Dhanvantri Nighantu).

Uses:- It enters into the composition of pills such as Jwaraankusa rasa, Panchavaktra rasa etc., used in complicated fevers. This drug is rarely used alone internally. But it may be used in certain types of asthma and elephantiasis in repeated small doses, watching the results. In elephantiasis, Vangasena says, that Dhatura seeds, taken daily in gradually increasing doses like Vardhamana pippali with cold water cures cases of serious types. In bites of rabid dogs, the swarasam of the leaf is given in large doses until giddiness is produced and then the patient is bathed in plenty of cold water and is given curd and rice. This is adopted as a secret remedy by some specialists as a preventive against hydrophobia and is well worth a trial.
          Externally the oil is of great use in relieving pain due to rheumatism and as eye-drops to relieve the pain in iritis. The seeds ground into a paste with fresh Punarnava root and opium and applied comfortably hot to rheumatic joints is very effective in reducing pains and swellings. The leaf is used as an antiphlogistic poultice smeared with castor oil in inflamed piles and abscesses.

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