Kutaja,

Kalinga.

Vern. Kurchi. Beng. Kureyά. Kaureyά, Hind.

The bark of Holarrhena antidysenterica constitutes the principal medicine for dysentery in the Hindu Pharmacopoeia. Before the discovery of the efficacy of ipecacuana in this disease, many chronic cases which did not get well under European medical treatment, used to be cured by the Kavirajes, by their preparations of this bark. The seeds called Indrayava in Sanskrit and Indra-jav in the vernacular, are also used in medicine, they being regarded as astringent, febrifuge and useful in fever, dysentery, diarrhoea, and intestinal worms.

The bark of Holarrhena antidysenterica is administered in a variety of ways. The expressed juice of the bark is given with honey.2 A fluid extract of the bark is given with the addition of ginger and άtis.3 A compound decoction called Kutajάshtaka is thus prepared. Take of kutaja bark, atis, root of Stephania her-nandifolia (pάthά), flowers of Woodfordia floribunda (dhάtaki), bark of Symplocos racemosa (lodhra), root of Pavonia odorata (bάlά), rind of pomegranate fruit, and the tubers of Cyperus rotundas (mustaka), quarter tola each, water thirty two tolas; boil together till reduced to one-fourth.1

Kutajaleha2 or confection of kutaja bark. Take of kutaja bark twelve seers and a half, water sixty-four seers; boil down to sixteen seers and strain. Boil the strained decoction till reduced to a thick consistence, then add sonchal salt, yavakshara, vit salt, rock salt, long pepper, flowers of Woodfordia floribunda (dhάtaki), indrayava seeds and cumin seeds, each sixteen tolas, in flue powder, and prepare a confection. Dose, about a drachm with honey in chronic and acute dysentery.

Pathadya churna.3 Take of the root of Stephania hernandifolia, fruit of AEgle Marmelos (vilva), plumbago root, long pepper, black pepper, ginger, bark of Eugenia Jambolana, rind of pomegranate fruit, flowers of Woodfordia floribunda (dhάtaki), root of Picrorrhiza Kurroa (katuki), atis, tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), wood of Berberis Asiatica (dάrvi), chiretd, seeds of Holarrhena antidy-senterica (indrayava), one part each, kutaja bark, equal in weight to all the above ingredients; powder them finely and mix. Dose, about one to two scruples to be taken with rice-water and honey. Another compound powder called Gangάdhara churna, is of similar composition to the above, with a few additional substances.

Kutajάrishta,1 or fermented liquor of kutaja. Take of kutaja root-bark, twelve seers and a half, raisins, six seers and a quarter, flowers of Bassia latifolia {madhuka), and bark of Gmelina arborea (gambhάri), eighty tolas each; boil them together in two hundred and fifty-six seers of water, till reduced to sixty-four seers, and strain. Then add flowers of Woodfordia floribunda (dhάtaki), two seers and a half, treacle twelve seers and a half, and let the mixture ferment for a month, after which it will be ready for use. Dose, one to three ounces.

An oil for external application called Grahanimihira taila is prepared with sesasum oil, decoction of kutaja bark and a number of astringent and aromatic substances in small quantities.

Pradarάri lauha.2 Take of kutaja bark, twelve seers and a half and prepare a fluid extract as in the preparation called kuta-y'aleha, above described. Then add the following substances in fine powder, namely, gum of Bombax Malabaricum (mocharasa), Indian madder, root of Stephania hernandifolia, (pάtha), bela fruit, tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), flowers of Woodfordia floribunda (dhataki), atis, prepared talc and iron, each eight tolas, mix them intimately and prepare a confection. Dose, about a drachm. This preparation is given in monorrhagia and other discharges from the uterus.

The seeds of Holarrhena antidysenterica enter into the composition of a good many prescriptions for fever, bowel complaints, piles, intestinal worms, etc. The following are a few illustrations Take of indrayava seeds and the tubers of Cyperus rotundus (musta. ka), each four tolas, rub them into a paste with water and boil in one seer of water, till the latter is reduced to one-fourth. This boiled emulsion is given in doses of about a half to one ounce with honey.1

Laghu gangάdhara churna.2 Take of indrayava seeds, tubers of Cyperus rotundus, (mustaka), beta fruit, bark of Symplocos race-mosa (lodhra), gum of Bombax Malabaricum (mocharasa), and flowers of Woodfordia floribunda (dhάtaki) equal parts; powder and mix. Dose, about a drachm with butter-milk and treacle, in various sorts of bowel complaints.