100+ Main Herbs of Ayurveda

51. Kushtam

Names:- Latin Aplotaxis auriculata

Tamil Chengalvakoshtam

Telugu Chengalvakoshtam

Canarese Koshtam

Malayal Kottam

Urdu Kust, Koshtam

Kushtamushnam Katu, Swaadu

Sukralam tiktakam laghu

Hanti Vaatasra Veesarpa

Kaasakushta marut Kaphaan

Kushtaa (Changalvakoshta) is heating, pungent and sweet. It increases sperm. It is also bitter and light. It checks vaatarakta, Visarpa, Kaasaa and Kushta.

Dose:- 5 to 15 grains with honey.

Action:- Stimulant, antispasmodic and tonic.

Uses:- As a stimulant, it is given in spasmodic diseases such as cough, asthma, cholera and deranged digestion. As an alternative, it is sued in chronic skin diseases and rheumatism. Locally, a paste of it made in rose water is applied to swollen hands and feet and to swelled abdome in obesity ad a a cooling lotion to sprains and contusions. As a reliever of headache, it has been adveated by Kautilya in his Artha sastra. Koshtam, Vidanga and dravanti are to be powdered and used as a snuff. Vangasena advises a lepa or application of the paste obtained by grinding the roots of Kushta and Eranda with kanjika to be applied for headaches. Externally, it is used as an astringent ointment for ulcers and along with Maadhiphala juice ad honey as an ointment for the face. Charcoal made of Kushta root is mixed with oil and applied to exzematous patches.

The proper drug is not available easily in the south and therefore my experience with this drug is very little. It is much used in asthma, hysteria, epilepsy, insanity and other nervous diseases. It is one of the ingredients of the prepared oils and dusting powders, and is mixed both for its fragrance and antiseptic and soothing properties. Along with Vacha, it is highly recommended in epilepsy (Charaka).

52. Kutaja Thwak

Names:- Latin Holarrhena antidysentrica

Tamil Veppaalai

Telugu Kodisapaala

Canarese Kodasige

Malayal Kutakapaala

Urdu Indrajav

Kutajah Katuko Rooksho

Deepanah tuvaro himah

Arsoteesaara Pittaasra

Kapha Tristnaama Kushta jit.

Kutaja is pungent and also astringent. It is dry and cooling. It improves appetite and checks Kapha. It is useful in the treatment of Piles, Diarrhoea, Raktapitta, thirst, Aama and Kapha.

Dose:- 10 to 60 grains of the powder of the bark with honey or sugar or thakram (buttermilk) or ½ to 1 tola of the bark boiled with 8 times the quantity of water, reduced to one-fourth, filtered and taken with honey. Seeds – same as above.

Action:- Antiperiodic and anidysenteric.

Uses:- It has earned much reputation as a specific in cases of dysentery and is used in the place of Ipecacuanha. It is also said to be very useful in cases of Raktapitta. Chakradutta recommends a paste of the bark to be used in cases of kushta.

53. Laaksha

Names:- Latin Coccus lacca

Tamil Kombarakku

Telugu Lacca

Canarese Arakku

Malayal Kolarakku

Urdu Lac

Laaksha Varnyaa himaa balyaa

Snigdhaacha tuvaraa laghuh

Anushnaa Kapha Pittaasra

Hikkaa Kaasa Jwara Pramuth

Vranorakshata Veesarpa

Krimi Kushta Gadaapahaa.

Laksha improves complexion. It is cooling. It gives strength. It is snigdha (lubricating). It is astringent and light. It is not heating. It checks Kapha, Raktapitta, Hikka, Kaasa, Jwara. It is useful in the treatment of ulcers, Urakshata (consumption with blood spitting), Veesarpa (Erysipelas), Krimi (Vermicide) and Kushta.

Dose:- 5 to 15 grains to be taken with honey or ghee or Kushmaanda swarasam and sugar.

Action:- Astringent, haematinic, blood-purifier and tonic.

Uses:- In Raktapitta or bleeding from any portion of the body, the powder is given either alone or in combination with other drugs. It probably produces chemical changes in blood which increase coagulation. It is used as a specific for haemorrhage, in uterine disorders and in epistaxis or bleeding from the nose and lungs. It is also used in chronic dysentery and anaemia. In case of Urakshata, it is given internally with honey, with much success. The oil medicated with this is considered to be much useful in cases of all chronic fevers for external use and massage.

54. Lankesa

Names:- Latin Piper cubeba

Tamil Vaalmilagu

Telugu Chalavamiriyaalu

Canarese Gantamenasu

Malayal Vaalmilagu

Urdu Dhumkimirch; Kavabchini

Dose:- 5 to 20 grains of the powder to be given with cocoanut water or with any other diuretics. 5 to 15 minims of the oil.

Action:- Cooling in small doses, aromatic, diuretic, urinary antiseptic, carminative, antiseptic and stimulant to mucous membranes.

Uses:- It is very largely used to alleviate sore throat in pill or powder mixed with sugar and honey. As a digestive it is used with betel leaf. In Gonorrhoea and in bronchitis it acts as a stimulant to mucous membranes and as an antiseptic. In large doses, it may irritate. It is also used as an oral anispetic.

55. Lavangam

Names:- Latin Caryophyllus aromaticus

Tamil Lavangam, Kraambu

Telugu Lavangaalu

Canarese Lavanga

Malayal Kariambu

Urdu Loung

Lavanga Kusumam Hridyam

Seetalam Pittanaasanam

Cakshushyam Vishahritvrishyam

Maamgalyam Moordhwarogahrit

Lavanga is pleasing and cooling. It checks Pitta. It is good for the eyes. It is anti-toxic and a aphrodisiac. It is auspicious. It is useful in the treatment of disease of head and neck.

Dose:- 1 to 15 grains of the powder to be taken with honey or in combination with other drugs.

Action:- Internally – Carminative, aromatic, antispasmodic, expectorant and stimulant. Externally – rubefacient, local anaesthetic and antiseptic.

Uses:- Intenally, it stimulates circulation and raises the blood-pressure. It promotes digestion and nutrition and relieves gastric and intestinal colic and spasm. Its external use relieves local pain and specially the pain of the head. A paste of them applied to the forehead and to the nose is a popular remedy in headache and coryza. Kept in the mouth, it is an oral antiseptic and stimulant to the throat. It increases the secretion and helps to relieve congestion of the throat. It is used in combination with sugar or kalkanda to promote expectoration from the lungs. It is included in tooth powders for its fragrance and antiseptic properties. It stimulates the skin, salivary glands, kidneys, liver and bronchial mucous membranes. It is a valuable home remedy and is used as a condiment to improve digestion. In large doses, it is an irritant.

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