Suns.

Guduchi.

Amritά.

Vern. Gulancha, Beng. Gurach, Hind,

The stem, leaves, roots and watery extract of this plant aro all used in Hindu Medicine. The entire plant is regarded as a valuable alterative and tonic. It is used in general debility, fever, jaundice, skin diseases, rheumatism, urinary diseases, irritability of stomach, etc.

The fresh juice of the plant is taken with milk as a general tonic. In fevers it is used in a great variety of forms. Thus a cold infusion of gulancha is given with honey in bilious fever. A decoction1 of gulancha or its fresh juice is given with the addition of long pepper and honey in chronic fever with cough. A compound decoction is thus prepared. Take of gulancha, Hedyotis biflora (parparta), Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), chiretta and ginger, each one drachm, water, half a seer. Boil down to one-fourth. It is said to be useful in fevers caused by deranged air and bile. Practically it is found very useful in chronic fevers, which have resisted other antiperiodics, and which are apt to recur after apparent recovery,, In chronic fever with loss of appetite, the following confection is recommended by many writers.

Dhάtrimodaka.2 Take of chebulic and emblic myrobalans, ginger and long pepper, one part each, watery extract of gulancha, four parts, water sixteen parts. Boil till reduced to one-fourth, and prepare a confection with eight parts of sugar. When of proper consistence divide the mass into boluses of about a drachm each. One of these is taken every morning, in chronic fever with enlarged spleen, cough, loss of appetite, etc.

Gulancha enters into the composition of a large number of prescriptions for chronic skin diseases. The juice of the plant or its decoction is given alone, or with the addition of guggulu or bdellium.1 Numerous compound decoctions with the addition of various other drugs such as nim, turmeric, catechu, etc. are used in these diseases, as well as in gout and rheumatism.2 Several oils, for external application are prepared with gulancha and are much used in skin diseases, rheumatic affections and nervous complaints.

Guduchyάdi taila.3 Take of fresh gulancha, eight seers, water, sixty-four seers, boil till reduced to one-fourth and strain. To the strained decoction, add prepared sesamum oil, four seers, and gulancha beaten to a paste with water, one seer, boil together till the water is evaporated. This oil is a favourite application in eruptive skin diseases from impure blood. The Vrihat guduchy-άdi taila is prepared by the addition of a number of other medicines in the form of paste, to the decoction of gulancha and the oil. Another compound oil called Vata guduchyadi taila is thus prepared. Take of gulancha, twelve seers, and a half water sixty-four seers. Boil till reduced to one fourth. Take of the fresh juice of Adhatoda Vasica (vasaka) and of datura leaves, each four seers, prepared mustard oil, four seers, aromatics in the form of paste one seer. Boil together the decoction of gulancha with the vegetable juices, oil and paste, in the usual manner. This oil is recommended by Charaka in eruptive skin diseases with troublesome itching, as also in diseases of nervous origin.