Tankana. Vern. Sohάgά.

Borax was known to the ancient Hindus from a very remote period, and is mentioned by Susruta. It is brought from Thibet across the Himalaya, and from Nepal, and is used in medicine as well as in the arts. It is purified for medicinal use by being steeped for a night in kanjika, and dried in the sun. Borax is said to be useful in loss of appetite, painful dyspepsia, cough, asthma, skin diseases and diarrhoea. It is also used for procuring abortion and promoting uterine contractions. Borax enters into the composition of numerous formulae for dyspepsia, such as the Amritakalpa rasa, Tankanadi vati etc.

Amirtakalpa rasa.1 Take of mercury, sulphur and aconite, one part each, borax three parts, soak them for three days in the juice of Wedelia calendulacea (bhringarάja) and make into two-grain pills. This medicine is said to be useful in loss of appetite, indigestion and dyspepsia. Tankanadi vati contains the above ingredients with the addition of ginger and black pepper, all in equal parts.

Chandrάmrita rasa.2 Take of the three myrobalans, ginger, long pepper and black pepper, Chavica officinarum (chavika), coriander, cumin seeds and rock salt, each one tola, and rub them together with goat's milk. Then add mercury, sulphur and iron, each two tolas, borax eight tolas and black pepper four tolas, all in fine powder, mix and make into pills or boluses about eighteen grains each. They are administered with goat's milk in chronic bronchitis and various sorts of cough with copious expectoration. Along with these pills a decoction made of gulancha, Adhatoda vasica (vάsaka), Clerodendron Siphonanthus (brahmayashti), Cyperus rotundus (mus-taka), and Solarium Jacquinii (kantakάri) should be administered.

Borax enters into the composition of several prescriptions for diarrhoea, along with opium, such as the Grahanikapata rasa and Nripavallava rasa, for which see Opium.

A mixture of equal parts of borax, long pepper and baberung seeds is given for five days, at the menstrual periods for the purpose of preventing conception.1 It is also used for procuring abortion and inducing labour pains. Borax rubbed into a paste with the root of Vallaris dichotoma (bhadravalli) is applied to diseased nails.