Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist.Med. Vol. xxv pp.1 to 6

HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

P.V. SHARMA'

ABSTRACT

Medicinal plants, have been the chief source of drugs used in treat-

ment of various ailments. It is observed that the position of medicinal

plants is not the same as in Samhitas. There is a lot of addition of new

synonyms and also recording of new observations in terms of actions and

uses. Thus, it would be interesting to study such developments in case

of each drug historically and scientifically under the heading of ' The

Historical Biography'. covering the entire life of a medicinal plant along

with various cnanges taking place from time to time

India is a country having history feature has been the dynamic of thousands of years and a rich nature of lndian wisdom which has legacy of science and arts. The always been developing as to practices of today have developed enable itself to tackle the chal- in course of centuries and the lenges of the time. When Charaka present traditions could be traced says that is shashvata fortheir origin in ancient past. This (eternal) he has the same idea to is more applicable in the context of convey. Ayurveda which is the living system Not only the number of medici- of in today having nal plants has considerably in- roots in early stages of creation. creased since the age of Rigveda, Medicinal plants are mentioned in Atharvaveda down to the samhitas Rigveda, the oldest document. The and nighantus but there has also plants have been the chief source been significant additions in names of drugs used in treatment of (synonyms) which helped in identi- various ailments. The striking

• 39, Gurudham Colony, Varanasi - 221057 India. 2 Historical Biography of Medicinal Plants - Sharma fication of plants and in actions and 1. (Sesbania grandiflora- uses which were based on tradi- pers.) Agastya (or Agasti) is not tional observations and experiences. found in and the Infact. these books are repository samhitas of Bhela and Kashyapa.· documenting and preserving the It is who recorded it first knowledge acquired by the Vaidya only among vegetables community through constant prac- Synonyms tice and observation from time to Ashtangahridaya (U.13.89) men- time. tions it as 'Kumbhayoni ' which In this background, if one looks also comes in Ashtanganighantu at the medicinal plants today it (250) and Hridayadipaka (1.76). would be evident that their position The synonym 'Muninama' is found is not the same as it Was in samhitas. in Ashtanganighantu while 'Munidru- There is a lot of addition of new ma'is mentioned in Nighantushesha, synonyms and also recording of Rajanighantu and Bhavaprakasha. new observations in terms of ac- A significant synonym'Vangasena' tions and uses. Thus, it would be comes in Paryayaratnamala and interesting to study such develop- Bhavaprakasha. Rajanighantu has ments in case of each drug histori- added a significant synonym cally and scientifically. I have named 'Vakrapushpa' denoting the char- this new branch of study as' The acteristic papillion-aceous flower Historical Biography' which studies (and perhaps the source of Bengali the entire life of medicinal plants name 'baka'.) The same nighantu recording various changes taking has added 'dirghaphalaka' denoting place from time to time. Here, as the hanging long fruits. sample, I am presenting the sketch of two plants. BUll. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XXV 3

Actlons and uses - nighantu mentions the use of agastya in quartan fever and night Sushruta indicates the use of agastya blindness particularly of flowers in flowers as vegetable in wast-ing, the formers. cough and night blindness and its Conclusion properties as tikta rasa, katu vipaka and moderate virya, not very cold or Thus it appears that hot'. Vagbhata recommends use of 1. The plant agastya was introduced the leaves of agastya for frying in use after the Charaka Samhita. ghee the intake of which is effective 2. Among synonyms, kumbhayoni in night blindnes s". and munidruma were the earliest Neither Vrindamadhava nor ones while vakrapushpa and Cakradatta mentions its use in dirghaphalaka were added later on. night blindness instead they have The synonym vanqasena was po- prescribed the use of leaf juice as pular in eas '-rn region as it is snuff in guartan rever". Madanapala mentioned,first by Madhavakara in nighantu (ch. V) records its use in Paryayaratnamala and later fol- both quartan fever and night blind- lowed by Bhavamishra. ness. Kaiyadeva nighantu differ- 3. Flowers seem to have been used entiates the uses partwise - leaves first then leaves and finally fruits. in quartan fever, flowers in night 4. describes it as blindness and fruits in enlargement of moderate virya, but the later ofspleen,anaemia etc'. Bhavaprakasha

1. Sushruta Samhita. SU, 46.281-82 2. Ashtangahridaya. U 13.89. 3. Vrinda Madhava 1.238; Cakradatta 1.228. 4. Kaiyadeva nighantu 1.937.41. 5. Bhavaprakasha Nighantu pushpavarga 59.60. shakavarga 47-48 4 Historical Biography of Medicinal Plants - Sharma nighantus, Rajanighantu and vedic literature. In the later works Bhavaprakasha, mention it as shita- it is mentioned as being used as virya. incense" and paste, the latter in cold

5. Use of agastya in night blindness season". Charaka prescribes ap- is the earliest one as recorded in plication of the paste of aguru in Sushruta Samhita while its use in hemantha season (early winter)". quartan fever was introduced later Again aguru tops the list of on near about 10th cent. A.D. as it Agurvadi gana containing hot aro- appears in the works of Candranan- matic druqs". It was also used in dana and Chakrapanidatta ( 10- srnokinq".

11th cent. A.D.). Aguru grows in the North-estern 6. Gradually actions of different region of the country which is parts of the plant were studied and testified by the works of Kalidasa observed. Sushruta mentions use and Banabhatta. Raghu, while in of flowers only, vagbhata indicates his military expedition, tied his el- that of leaves and kaiyadeva of ephants in the trees of aguru 6. fruits also. Similarly king Harshavardhana received presents of aguru wood The relation of the sage Agastya and its various products from the with the autumn season and also ruler of pragjyotisa (modern north- prevalence of malarial fevertherein east )7 may be one of the prompting factors in its use in quartan fever. Synonyms

2. Aguru (Aquilaria agallocha Roxb.) Jongaka and kalaguru or Aguru ( or Agaru ) is not found in krishnaguru are used to denote aguru

1. Raghuvamsa 6.8; Ritusamhara 5.5 2. Ritusamhara 2.22 . 3. Charaka samhita SUo 6.16-17 4. Ibid. Ci. 3.267 5. Ibid, SUo 5.27 6. Raghuvamsha 4.81 7. P.V. Sharma: Indian Medicine in Classical Age, pp.134-35 Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Va/.XXV 5 in Brihattrayi. 'Loha' is also used Samhita. This indicates that the which denotes heaviness and use of aguru was prevalent and its ~ black colour of the wood. Originally therapeutic jurisdiction expanding the wood of the plant is light (aguru) during the period of Vagbhata (6th which attains heaviness after it is cent. A.D.). infested with insects producing oil- Conclusion resin. This fact is recorded by the terms 'krtmija'". and 'krimijagdha' 2. Though study has been so far which are found in koshas and nighantus largely concentrated on history of and not in Brihattrayi. scholars and literature, history of

Actions drugs has remained almost an un- touched field. A part from popular In the ancient samhita of Char aka, usage and commercial exploitation aguru is mentioned as shitaprasha- of drugs, it would be profitable to mana(pacifying cold) as listed in study developments in synonyms shitaprasamana mahakashaya 3. and actions. Keeping this in view, and agurvadi gana. Charaka has an attempt is being made to also prescribed it in cases of hic prosecute this work furher, the two cough and asthma in forms of smok- samples, of which are presented ing 4 and powders. Vagbhata de- herewith. Study of the historical veloped the use of aguru in biography of plants would not only respiratory disorders particularly create a new vista in historical couqh". More over, the drug has research but also enrich the area of also been selected as Rasayana dravyaguna at large in Ayurveda. like asana etc. 7as in Charaka

1. Amarakosha 2.6.126; Sabdachandrika 1.212; Bhavaprakas nighantu 2.21 2. Dhanvantari nighantu 3.25; Madanadinighantu 16.21 ; Shodhalanighantu 1.378; Nighantusesa 1.21 ; Kaiyadevanighanh:l 1.1270 3. Charakasamhita SUo 4(42) 4. Ibid. Ci. 17.80 5. Ibid. Ci. 17.123, 129 6. Astangahrdaya, Ci. 3.47 7. Ibid. U.39.104 6 Historical Biography of Medicinal Plants - Sharma

~ ~ ~ fenf~·Wif

~~~I