Sans. Chitraka. Vern. Chitá, Beng. Hind.
The root of Plumbago Zeylanica is said to increase the digestive power, to promote the appetite and to be useful in dyspepsia, piles, anasarca, diarrhœa, skin diseases, etc. It is much used as a stimulant adjunct to other preparations, in the form of a combination called trimada consisting of plumbago root, báberang seeds and the tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka).
It enters into the composition of numerous medicines for dyspepsia. The following is an illustration. Take of plumbago root, rock salt, chebulic myrobalan, and long pepper, equal parts ; powder and mix. Dose, about forty grains. A favourite medicine for flatulence is an old prescription of Susruta called Shaḍdharana yoga. It is a powder composed of equal parts of the following substances, namely, plumbago root, indrayava seeds, root of Stephania hernandifolia (páṭhá), of Picrorrhiza Kurroa (kaṭuki), átis, and chebulic myrobalan. Dose, about a drachm.
The root of Plumbago Zeylanica is said to exercise a beneficial effect on piles, in which disease it is given in various combinations. One mode of administering it, is as follows. An earthen jar or pot is lined in its interior with a paste of the root, and curdled milk (dadhi) or kánjika is prepared in this pot, and taken by persons affected with hæmorrhoids, and prurigo.
Plumbago root reduced to a paste is applied to abscesses with the object of opening them. It enters also into the composition of several preparations used as caustics. The following is an illustration. Take of plumbago root, root of Baliospermum montanum (danti), the milky juice of Euphorbia neriifolia (snuhi), and of Calotropis procera or Hamiltonii (arka), marking nut, sulphate of iron, treacle and rock salt, equal parts ; mix them together and make into a paste.
The Sanskrit verses in the footnotes are not transcribed, and the superscript footnote numbers that point to them are left out. The Devanagari form of the Sanskrit name beside the headword is not reproduced.