Satάvari,

Satamuli.

Vern. Satamuli, Beng. Satavari, Hind.

The Sanskrit name satamuli (that is possessing a hundred roots), is in allusion to the numerous fusiform tubers of this plant. These are regarded as cooling, demulcent, diuretic, tonic and aphrodisiac, and are used both internally and in the preparation of several medicated oils. The tubers are candied and taken as a sweet-meat. This preparation however has scarcely any other taste or flavour besides that of the sugar. The fresh juice of the root is given with honey as a demulcent in bilious dyspepsia or diarrhoea.3 As an aphrodisiac tonic, it is used in a variety of forms. A ghrita is prepared as follows. -

Satάvari ghrita.3 Take of clarified butter four seers, juice of Asparagus racemosus four seers, milk forty seers, boil them together and prepare a ghrita. This is given with the addition of sugar, honey, and long pepper.

Phalaghrita. This is prepared with four seers of clarified butter, and sixteen seers each of the juice of Asparagus racemosus and cow's milk, with the addition of a number of other medicines in small quantities, in the form of a paste. Its use is said to increase the secretion of semen, to cure barrenness in women and to remove disorders of the female genitals.

As a diuretic, it is prescribed in combination with other medicines of its class. The following is an illustration. Take of the roots of Asparagus racemosus, Saccharum spontaneum (kάsa), Poa cynosuroides (kusa), Oryza sativa (variety called sάlidhάnya) and Saccharum officinarum (ikshu), Batatus paniculatus (vidάri), Scirpus Kysoor (kaseruka), and Tribulus terrestris (gokshura) equal parts, and prepare a decoction in the usual way. This decoction is administered, with the addition of sugar and honey, in scanty urine with heat and ardor urinae.1 The chief use of the drug how-ever consists in the preparation of several popular cooling and emollient medicated oils for external application in disorders of the nervous system, rheumatic affections and urinary diseases.

Nάrayanά taila,2 popularly known as Madhyama nάrayanά taila is made by taking of the bark of AEgle, Marmelos (vilva), Premna spinosa (agnimantha), Calosanthes Indica (syonάka), Stereospermum suaveolens (patala), Erythrina Indica (paribhadra), Poederia fostida (prasarani), Withania somnifera (asvagandhά), Solatium Jacquinii (kantakari), Solanum Indicum (vrihati), Sida cordifolia (bάlά), Sida rhombifolia (atibalά), Tribulus terrestris (danshtrά) and Boerhaavia diffusa (punarnavά) each twenty totes, water sixty-four seers, and boiling down till reduced to one-fourth and straining. To the strained decoction add four seers each of the juice of Asparagus racemosus and prepared sesamum oil, sixteen seers of cow's or goat's milk and the following substances, namely, fennel seeds, Wood of Cedrus Deodara (devadάru), jatamansi root, liquid storax, Acorus Calamus (vachά), sandal wood, Limnanthemum cristatum (tagarapddukά), Aplotaxisauriculata (kushtha),cardamoms,Desmodium gangeticum (sάlaparni), Uraria lagopodioides (prisniparni), Phaseolus trilobus (mudgaparni), Glycine labialis (mάsliaparni), Withania somnifera (asvagandha), Vanda Roxburghii (rάsna), Boerhaavia diffusa (punarnava) and rock salt, four tolάs each in the form of paste and prepare an oil in the usual way. When ready, boil again with fragrant substances as directed in the introduction under the head of Medicated oils. This oil is much used by native physicians in rheumatism, diseases of the joints, stiff neck, hemiplegia and other diseases of the nervous system.

Vishnutaila. This is an oil much used in nervous diseases. It is prepared with sesamum oil, cow's or goats' milk, and the juice of Asparagus racemosus, with the addition of a number of substances in small quantities in the form of a paste.

Prameha mihira taila. This oil is prepared with the juice of Asparagus racemosus, sesasum oil, decoction of lac, whey and milk, with the addition of a number of substances in the form of a paste. It is rubbed on the body and more particularly over the pubic region in chronic gonorrhoea, stricture of the urethra, and other diseases of the urinary organs.