NAT. ORDER. MALVACEAE.
SIDA CORDIFOLIA.
Sans. Balá. Bátyálaka.
Vern. Berela, Beng. Khareti, Hind.
Four varietes of balá are mentioned by Sanskrit writers, namely, Bátyálaka, (Sida cordifolia). Mahábalá, (Sida rhomboidea.)* Atibalá, (Sida rhombifolia). Nágabalá, (Sida alba). The roots of all these species, are regarded as cooling, astringent, tonic and useful in nervous diseases, urinary diseases and disorders of the blood and bile. In intermittent fever, a decoction of the root of Sida cordifolia and ginger is given. It is said to be useful in fevers with cold shivering fits, followed by strong heat of body. The powder of the root-bark is given with milk aud sugar, for the relief of frequent micturition and leucorrhœa.
In diseases of the nervous system, such as insanity, paralysis, facial palsy, etc. the root of Sida cordifolia is used alone or in combination with other medicines, as in the following, called Másha baládi kvátha. Take of the pulse of Phaseolus Roxburghii (másha), root-bark of Sida cordifolia (balá), root of castor oil plant and of Mucuna pruriens (átmaguptá), Hygrophila polysperma (katrina), Vanda Roxburghii (rásná), and Withania somnifera (asvagandhá), equal parts, in all two tolas, and prepare a decoction in the usual way. It is administered with the addition of assafœtida and rock salt, in hemiplegia, stiff neck, facial paralysis, and noise in the ears with headache. An oil for external application in these diseases, called Balátaila is thus prepared. Take of the root of Sida cordifolia, four seers, water, thirty-two seers and boil down to eight seers. To this decoction, add eight seers of milk, four seers of prepared sesamum oil, and one seer of the root of Sida cordifolia in the form of paste, and prepare an oil in the usual way.
* This is only a variety of Sida rhombifolia, L.
Nothing of the article is left out. The Sanskrit names in Devanagari, the Sanskrit verses in the numbered footnotes and the note numbers are not transcribed. Words hyphenated across a line break are joined.