Senna.
If the work of Serapion (De Simplicibus) which we possess, be the production of the elder Serapion (and after being long familiarly acquainted with it we are inclined to think so), he is undoubtedly the first author who has described senna as an article of the Materia Medica. First on his own authority he describes very accurately the pods, stalks, and seeds of the plant. On the authority of Isaac Ebn Amram he recommends it for removing the inquietude accompanying melancholy, for aches and disturbances of the nerves, for alopecia, phthiriasis, chronic headache, scabies, pustulæ parvæ, pruritus, and epilepsy. Abix, another authority, declares it to have great power of purging black and yellow bile, and of acting as a cordial when mixed with suitable medicines such as violets. His last authority under this head is Rhases, who says that senna and fumitory purge adust humours, and prove useful in scabies and pruritus. (De Simpl. 58.) Under the head of sahane Avicenna briefly notices an article which he recommends as being abstergent and desiccant in pruritus and scabies, in pain of the neck, fetid breath, and watery stomach (waterbrash?). This account we are inclined to think must refer to senna. (ii, 2, 651.) Rhases gives almost exactly the same description of the sahane. (Contin. l. ult. i, 596.) In his work ‘Ad Mansor.’ (viii, 54), he gives the account of Sene quoted above from Serapion, and again at ‘Divis.’ (i, 144.) Haly Abbas describes it accurately in his chapter on Purgatives. (Pract. ii, 54.) He recommends it as a medicine which purges both yellow and black bile, and is useful in gout and rheumatism, and in colics when mixed with raisins, oil of almonds, &c. Mesue describes senna as the folliculus of a plant resembling the tare. The best part of the plant, he says, is the folliculus (legume?), and next the leaves; and both these parts are said to be best when of a green colour. As senna has a tendency to weaken the stomach by its operation, he recommends it to be mixed with ginger, sal gem, Indian salt (sugar?), and cordials. He quotes Galen (through some mistake, as is generally supposed) as recommending it boiled in the soup of fowls. He also speaks of giving it in whey, or in milk, or in must, that is to say, the fresh juice of the grape. The last of these preparations he praises as cleansing the brain and senses, and creating joy. He also speaks favorably of a decoction of it with prunes and spikenard. As to its virtues, he says it readily purges black and adust bile, cleanses the brain, heart, liver, spleen, the senses, and lungs, proves deobstruent and dispels sorrow. He also speaks favorably of the leaves when applied to the head in the bath as improving the senses of sight and hearing, and as proving a remedy to fevers arising from black bile, and to chronic fevers. (De Simpl. xv.) Ebn Baithar gives an interesting description of it. He says in Arabia it is used as a dye, and that its leaves are mixed with those of the plant now called Lawsonia inermis. He calls it cholagogue and melanogogue, says it penetrates the inferior extremities, and purges them in cases of gout. He also praises it in scabies, epilepsy, and a great many other diseases. By some mistake he quotes Paulus. He says it is better in decoction than in powder. The dose of the latter is from two to three drachms, of the former from four to seven drachms. (i, 57.) Actuarius says of sene, that it purges moderately in doses of one drachm. (Meth. Med. v, 8.) Sene occurs as an ingredient in several of the antidotes of Myrepsus, as c. 112, 465, 472. Under this head we would beg, before concluding, to refer the reader to Ainslie’s Mat. Ind. (i, 205). It will be there seen that in Æthiopia senna is still used as a dye.
Berberis.
Rhases gives extracts from Badigorius, Oribasius, Mesue, and others on the virtues of this substance, which he represents as being lithontriptic, styptic, and alexipharmic. He says it is called calmuris in Greek. (Contin. l. ult. i, 121.) Serapion gives extracts from Dioscorides and Galen under this head, but there seems no reason to suppose that they were at all acquainted with this article. He recommends it as being cooling and incisive, and a strengthener of the stomach and liver. He also praises it in all fluxes. (De Simpl. 229.) Ebn Baithar calls it astringent, stomachic, and hepatic, and says it binds the bowels and quenches thirst. He recommends it in diarrhœa connected with weakness of the liver, and in diseases of the stomach and uterus. See also Avicenna (vi, 9.) The berberry (Berberis vulgaris) is recommended by Gerard, Parkinson, and all our old herbalists as an astringent medicine in diseases of the stomach and liver. Even at the present day it is admitted to possess these virtues. See Gray (Suppl. to Pharmacop. 102) and Lindley (Veg. Kingd. 438.) The former of these seems to acknowledge it as the Oxyacantha of the Greeks, but we think incorrectly. Dr. Royle supposes the Lycium Indicum of Dioscorides to be the berberry. It seems to us more probable, however, that the berberry was but the succedaneum of the lycium. See Schröder (Chemical Dispensatory, 475.)
Galanga.
Rhases calls it stomachic. (Antid. iii.) Serapion having described it, upon the authority of Isaac ebn Amram says of it, that it is hot and dry in the third degree, is useful to phlegmatic persons, and in humidity of the stomach (waterbrash?); promotes digestion by its heat and the solution which it occasions in the stomach, and thus relieves colic, gives fragrance to the breath, and warms the kidneys; it sets the semen in commotion, and when a piece of it is held in the mouth, it occasions erections of the membrum virile. The same virtues in the same cases are assigned to it by Aben Mesuai, and also Aben Mesabah, who recommends it in flatulent colic and eructations. (De Simpl. 332.) Avicenna, having described it, delivers the same account of its medicinal powers as Serapion, that is to say, he holds it to be hot and dry in the second degree, of subtile parts and carminative, says that it renders the breath fragrant, is good for the stomach, promotes digestion, is useful in colic and pains of the kidneys, and is aphrodisiacal. (ii, 2, 314; v, 2, 6.) The same account of it is given by “the Son of Mesue,” in the ‘Continens’ of Rhases (l. ult. i, 323.) In the pharmaceutical work of Myrepsus there is an “antidotus a Galanga,” which is said to be beneficial in affections of the stomach and spleen, and in indigestion; also for singultus, acidity of the food in the stomach, cachexia, dropsy, and coldness of the whole body: it contains cloves, ginger, cinnamon, galangal, &c. (i, 63; also, 222.) Ebn Baithar ascribes the same virtues to it as Serapion; thus he says it is a wonderful aphrodisiac, promotes digestion, cures colic, is carminative, and so forth. Although now little used, galangal root is not yet wholly unknown to the writers on the Materia Medica. Dr. Pereira says of “radix galangæ officinalis; its odour is agreeably aromatic, its taste peppery and aromatic. It is the rhizome of the Alpinia Galanga Roxb.” (Mat. Med. 698.) See also Lewis (Mat. Med. 452); Hill (Mat. Med. i, 447); Quincy (72); Gray (Suppl. to the Pharmacop. 26); Lindley (Veg. Kingd. 166.) There are two species of galangal, which Dr. Lindley refers to the alpinia racemosa and galanga. He says of them, “the warm and pungent roots of the greater and lesser galangals are not only used by the Indian doctors, but are considered useful in coughs, given in infusion.” (Ibid.) On the Galangal see further Ainslie (Mat. Ind., i, 140.)
Zeduaria and Zerumbeth.
In order to understand this subject it will be necessary in the first place to see the descriptions of these substances given by modern authorities. Dr. Pereira says of the former of these: “The Zeduary root (Radix Zeduariæ officinalis) of English druggists appears to me to agree with Professor Guibourt’s description of round Zeduary (Zeduaria rotunda). It is the sliced tuber of Curcuma Zeduaria Rox. It has a warm, aromatic, bitter taste, and an aromatic odour.” (Mat. Med. 698.) And of the Zerumbet the same author says: “Cassamunar root is considered by English druggests to be identical with Zerumbet root. (Private information; also, Gray, Pharmacop.) It appears to me to be the Turmeric-coloured Zeduary of Ainslie (Mat. Ind. i, 490.) Is it the product of Zinziber Cassamuniar Roxb.? The Zerumbet root which I received from my friend Dr. Royle is very similar in shape to a curved and arched piece of long turmeric.” (Mat. Med. 698.) Dr. Ainslie gives an interesting disquisition on the Zeduary of which he describes three species: 1. Zeduary Kæmpferian (Kæmpferia rotunda.) 2. Zeduary Zerumbet (Curcuma Zerumbet.) 3. Zeduary turmeric-coloured (Curcuma and Amomum Zeduaria.) We shall now be better able to ascertain the meaning of the ancient descriptions of these substances. Serapion describes separately the Zerumbet Zeduaria and Zerumbet, but in such terms that one is at a loss to see any real distinction between them. (De Simpl. 172, 271.) He calls Zeduary an odoriferous tree for which cinnamon is often substituted. He refers to Galen and Paulus, but what passages in their works he alludes to it is not easy to discover. He describes it as being a great tree which grows on Mount Lebanon, and produces no fruit, but has the odour of citron, and is hot and dry in its nature, and is astringent so as both to open and astringe the bowels. Mesarugie, one of his authorities, compares its virtues to those of nutmeg; praises it as being sternutatory, and also stomachic and hepatic. This, without doubt, is the Zeduary, and the Zarnabum of Avicenna, who describes it separately from the Zerumbet, but mentions that the latter is much the same as the Zeduary. (ii, 2, 736, 738.) Rhases, in like manner, compares the Zerumbet to the Zeduary as being possessed of similar powers. He treats most fully of the former, recommending it as being alexipharmic, a good application to apostemes, &c. (Contin. l. ult. ii, 765.) Ebn Baithar treats fully of the Zerumbeth, which he describes minutely, and compares it to the great Cyperus. He says it is called camphor-root in the West. He calls it alexipharmical, cordial, intoxicating; an excellent medicine in inflation of the uterus, and possessed of emmenagogue and diuretic powers. He says it is good in affections of the liver and surrounding parts. It is said to determine downwards when applied to the soles of the feet in complaints of the head, to prove useful in leprosy when rubbed into the part affected, and to remove impotence. He also treats separately, and at considerable length, of the Zeduaria nigra. (ii, 95.) From the above account it will be seen that these two substances were nearly allied to one another, and in fact there is no doubt that the one was often taken for the other. See further Moses Charras (Royal Pharmacop. 68); Gray (Pharmacop. 26.) The Zeduary was often used as a succedaneum for the costus (Pemberton, Dispensatory, 340) in the composition of the Mithridate, and hence these two substances have been sometimes erroneously taken for the same. See also Manardus ad Mesue (De Trochiscis, 154); and Quincy (English Dispensatory, 483.)
Amomum Grana Paradisi.
There seems to be no doubt that this is the article which Ebn Baithar means to describe (i, 272). He calls it a spicy plant which comes out of Yemen and India. He describes two kinds, and says of them that they are hot, fragrant, and astringent, and hence prove stomachic and promote digestion. He says they are useful in epilepsy and faintings, and cure headaches in a sternutatory. He describes the smaller kind as being weaker but more attenuant than the larger. We are not aware of the grains of paradise, or Guinea grains, as they are sometimes called, being described by any other of the ancient authorities. We need scarcely remark that they are now well known, and occasionally used in the practice of medicine. See Gray (Suppl. to Pharm. 27); Pereira (Mat. Med. 697); Lindley (Veg. Kingd. 167.)