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ARISTOLOCHIACE^. I59 



Ichchura-mula, Peru-marindu (Jaw.), IsKvara-veru, Govila 

 {Tel.), Ishvari-beru, Nanjin-beru {Can.), Karalvekam, Ishvara' 

 muri {Mai.), Sdpus {Ooa). 



History, Uses, &C. — This scandent shrub is tbe Eudra- 

 jata of the Raja Nirgbanta; otber Sanskrit names for it are 

 Arkamula, " lightning root "; Isbvari, "goddess"; Sunanda, 

 " pleasing"; and Svidhy-upasya, "worthy of worship." It is con- 

 sidered to be attenuant, deobstruent, emmenagogue, antarthritic 

 and a valuable medicine in the bowel affections of children who 

 are teething. In the Mahometan Materia Medica it is known as 

 Zarawand-i-Hindf, and is admitted as an Indian substitute for 

 Zarawand {Ansfolochia long a). The early Portuguese settlers 

 in India gave it the name of Raiz de Cobra, on account of its 

 supposed efficacy against the bite of that snake. 



The plant was first described by Rheede, who compares its 

 odour to that of fresh ginger, and states that boiled in oil it is 

 apphed as a liniment to snake-bites, and a decoction given 

 internally. It is also administered, rubbed to a paste with water 

 or in decoction, in cold fevers, headache, flatulent distention, 

 and dysuria. As a lotion it relieves gouty pains, and the pow- 

 der with pepper and hot water stops bloody fluxes. 



It appears to be the Radix puloronica of Rumphius, which is 

 employed in Banda in decoction, in diseases of the intestines, 

 and also in intermittent fevers. Ainslie {Mat. Ind., ii., 298) 

 notices its use by the Tamil doctors in the bowel complaints to 

 which children are subject in consequence of indigestion and 

 teething, and says they sometimes call the drug Talashroolivayr, 

 He also says that the powder is taken internally in cases of 

 snake-bites and applied to the bitten part. Loureiro [Flor 

 Cochin-Chin., vol. ii., p. 528), speaking of the plant, says' 

 " Prodest in colica, cibi inappetentia, febribus intermit tenti- 

 bus, obstructionibus, hydrope." Fleming {Catalogue of Indian 

 Plants, p, 8) notices its use in Upper India as nn .t.^.^o_ 



ip gogue and antarthritic. 





secondary 



