Indravaruni. Vern. Indrayan. Hind.

Indian colocynth is common on the lower slopes of the Western Himalaya and also on the plains of the drier parts of India. It is procurable in the bazars of the North-West Provinces under the name of indrayan. The pulp of the fruit is described as bitter, acrid, cathartic, and useful in biliousness, constipation, fever and worms. The root of the plant is considered cathartic and useful in jaundice, ascites, enlargements of the abdominal viscera, urinary diseases, rheumatism, etc.

Jvaraghni gutikά.1 Take of mercury one part; sulphur, colocynth pulp, cardamoms, long pepper, chebulic myrobalan, and pellitory root, each four parts. Rub these ingredients with the juice of indravdruni root and make into pills weighing about twenty grains each. These pills are administered with the fresh juice of gulancha in recent fever. They move the bowels and reduce the fever.

An oil prepared from the seeds of Indian colocynth, is used for blackening grey hairs. A poultice of the root is said to be useful in inflammation of the breasts.2