Somarάji.

Avalguja.

Vάkuchi.

Vern. Hάkuch, Somrάj, Beng. Bάkchi, Hind.

The seeds of Vemonia anthelmintica are of great repute in Sanskrit Materia Medica as a medicine for white leprosy (leuco-derma), and other skin diseases. It is mentioned also as an anthelmintic, but is not much used as such, except in combination with a number of other medicines.

In chronic skin diseases the seeds are taken alone or in combination with other medicines. In the severer forms of skin diseases, such as psoriasis and lepra, the medicine is recommended to be continued daily for one year, when a complete cure is said to be effected. The following combination is used in these cases. Take of vakuchi seeds, and black sesamum, equal parts; powder and mix. Dose, about a drachm to be taken in the morning, with tepid water. The medicine should be taken after perspiration has been induced by exercise or exposure to the sun. The diet should consist of milk and rice. In leucoderma a decoction of emblic myrobalan and catechu is given with the addition of powdered vakuchi seeds.1

Externally it is used in skin diseases in a variety of forms such as paste, oil, etc. The following combination is said to be very useful in eruptions attended with itching. Take of vάkuchi seeds, seeds of Cassia Sophora (kάsamarda) and Cassia Tora (chakramarda), turmeric and common sea salt, equal parts; rub them together into a paste with whey and fermented paddy water (kanjika), and apply over the eruptions.2 Vάkuchi seeds four parts, and orpiment one part are rubbed into an emulsion with cow's urine, and applied to the patches of white leprosy or leucoderma.3

Somarάji taila. Take of vάkuchi seeds, twelve seers and a half, water sixty four seers, and boil down to sixteen seers. Take of the seeds of Cassia Tora (chakramarda) twelve seers and a half, water sixty four seers and boil down to sixteen seers. Boil these two decoctions with sixteen seers of cow's urine, sixteen seers of mustard oil and the following substances in the form of a paste, namely root of Plumbago rosea (raktachitrάka), of Gloriosa superba (lάnguli), ginger, turmeric, pάtchak root, seeds of Pongamia glabra (karanja), root Clitoria tematea (aparάjita), of Nerium odorum (karavira) and of Calotropis gigantea (arka) bark of Alstonia scho-laris (saptaparni), wood of Acacia catechu (khadira), of symplocos

Racemasa (ladhra), black pepper, nim leaves, leaves of Cassia Sophora (kάsamarda), juice of cow-dung, orpiment and realgar, each eight totes. This oil is said to cure all sorts of skin diseases from vitiated blood, ringworm, prurigo, etc.1