Crude drug sample data base
※Click on the image to enlarge it.
Crude drug name | Market name | Irsa (false) |
|---|---|---|
| Urudu name | Darunaj-aqrabi | |
| Arabic name / Persian name | Darunaj-aqrabi / Darunaj-aqrabi, Darunak, Daruna | |
| English name | Leopard's Bane | |
| Original plant name | Iris ensata Thunb., Leopard's Bane | |
| Family name | Compositae | |
| Used part | Classification | Plant origin | Sub classification | root |
| Collection information | Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Karachi [Karachi], Sind , Amjad Unani Medicine (Pvt.) Ltd. | |
| Collection date | 1994/1/22 | |
| Collector | Tsuneo Namba | |
| Identifier | Javed Ahmad | |
| Description | It is erroneously supplied under the drug -Irsa. The real drug of ''Irsa'' is Iris ensata Thunb. and the scientific information is followed by the real Irsa. | |
| TMPW No. | 14452 | |
The capital city, provincial capital city or the representative
location of its administrative area is indicated.
location of its administrative area is indicated.
Production area information
https://ethmed.toyama-wakan.net/img/pin_san.png
25.0700428
67.2847875
Collection information
Islamic Republic of Pakistan,Karachi [Karachi], Sind
https://ethmed.toyama-wakan.net/img/pin_nyu.png
Scientific information data base
| Crude drug name | Urudu name, English name | Irsa, Sosan, Orris root |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic name / Persian name | Irsa; Bekh-banafsha | |
| Original plant name | Iris ensata Thunb. | |
| Family name | Iridaceae | |
| Used part | Root | |
| Distribution area | Iris ensata Thunb. (Fam. Iridaceae) is found in Western Himalayas, 5,000 to 9,000ft. | |
| Description | Irsa is the root of Sausan asmanjuni (blue lily) which is a herb with flowers of different colours, e.g. white, yellow, blue and purple, and hence it has been named Irsa meaning a rainbow. In bazaars its name is bekh banafsha (viola root), which is misleading. Orris roots (Irsa) are hard, dense, compact, reddish, free from stink, knotty and fragrant. These roots after collection are dried in shade. It irritates the tongue and forcefully causes sneezing. It looses its potency after one year. | |
| Function and properties | Cosmetics, Wounds and ulcers, Swellings, Joints, Skin, Head, Chest, Excretory organs. Warming, rarefying, maturative, demulcent, deobstruent, detergent, purifying and diuretic. As its extract is dissolvent, when used along with hydromel it expels thick phlegm. | |
| Specific actions | Expectorant and laxative for malhumours (from lungs), relieve rheumatic pain from the joints. | |
| Frequency in use | Moderate. | |
| Common uses | Cosmetics: A mixture of Irsa and hellabore in equal quantity removes freckles and lentigo. Irsa alone also produces the same effect. Wounds and ulcers: Irsa is useful for malignant ulcers, its powder is sprinkled over fistula promotes the growth of flesh. It also covers the bones with flesh. Swellings: The decoction of Irsa softens hard and thick swellings - scrofla and acne. It is considered concoctive. Joints. Its oil removes fatigue. It is useful in convulsion and muscular rupture when used internally with vinegar or wine. Skin: When applied externally proves effective against skin disorders particularly freckles, baldness (which is due to fungal infection) and scabies, also dries up the bruises and wounds. Powder of the root or poultice is useful application to sores and pimples. Head: It induces sleep and removes chronic headache. A gargle of its decoction gives relief in toothache, root is also chewed to sweeten offensive breath. It is used as fragrant ingredient in hair and tooth powder composition. Also useful in hard of hearing if used as ear drops after mixing with vinegar. Chest: It is useful in cough, due to thick humours, and also for pneumonia, dyspnea and diphtheria. Owing to highly deobstruent, it expels the superfluous matter which may cause congestion in the chest. It is useful in disorders like nasal catarrh and influenza, thoracic disorders due to cold and asthma; for pain in liver and spleen when used with vinegar. Its internal and external use is beneficial in dropsy. Excretory organs: It is useful in uterine disorders and bladder complaints, relieve inflammation of the testes. It removes gripes, nocturnal emissions and secretion from prostate gland. A suppository made of it with honey causes abortion. | |
| Side effect | It induces sleep. Not easily digestible. It causes tearing in eyes. It may cause sneezing when smelled. It acts as an antidote for all poisons (snake, scorpion and sheep) if taken with vinegar. Its plaster is also useful. | |
| Medical system | Unani | |
| Traditional concept | Temperament | It is hot and dry in the last of the second degree. It is also found in Iran and Southern European countries. |
| Drug effect | It is very beneficial and expels malhumours from lungs, useful in pleurisy, pain in chest, palpitation, tremor (trembling), dementia, consternation, paralysis and due to demulcent and deobstruent, it is considered beneficial in dropsy and jaundice. It strengthens the liver. Due to detergent, it is useful in skin diseases. Due to desiccant it heals up the wounds and grows flesh on the affected sites and dries up. | |
| Dosage | 3 to 5gm. | |
| Substitute | Mazriyun (Clitoria ternatea Linn.). | |
| Related drugs | Iris germanica Linn. (Eng. German Iris; Hindi - Keorakamul). Fam. Iridaceae. A perennial herb, native to Europe and is now cultivated in Kashmir and Persia. Orris oil, obtained from rhizome, is used in perfumery. Rhizomes are used in medicines for similar purposes. | |
| Important compound preparations | Habb i-Jawahar, Dawa al-Misk Har Jawahardar, Arq Ambar, Ma`jun Hamal Ambari Alvi Khani, Ma`jun Nisyan and Muffareh Azam. | |
| References | Reference book Tips！ | Indian Materia Medica, Vols. 1-2, 1976 (Repr. 1989). Nadkarni, A.K., Popular Prakashan Pvt. Ltd., Bombay vol. 1, pp 694-695. Standardisation of Single Drugs of Unani medicine, Part 1, 1987 (1st edi.), Part 2, 1992 (1st edi.), Part 3, 1997 (1st edi.). Central council for Research in Unani Medicine, New Delhi. Part 3, pp 124-128. Makhzanul-Mufradat (Khawasul Adviyah), Hakeem Kabiruddin, Daftar Al-Masih, Qarol Bagh, Delhi. pp 101-102. A Survey of Drugs, 1961 (2nd edi.). Wahid, A. K. and Siddiqui, H. H. Institute of History of Medicine and Medical Research, Delhi. pp 55-59. Dictionary of Economic Plants in India, 1996 (2nd Rep.). Singh, U; Wadhwani, A. M. and Johri B.M. Indian council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. p 109. Al-Qanun Fil-Tibb. Avicenna. (English translation of the critical Arabic text), Book 2, 1998. Hameed, H. A. (editor), Dept. of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi. pp 83-84, 277-279. Al-Jamili Mufradt Al Adwiya Wal Aghziya (1197-1248 A.D.). Ibn al-Baytar. Vols. 1-3, 1985-1999. Central council for Research in Unani Medicine, Janakpuri, New Delhi. vol. 1, pp 177-179. Hamdard Pharmcopoeia of Eastern medicine, 1969. Said, H. M. (editor), The Times Press, Sadar Karachi. pp 148-149, 248, 283-285, 290-291. Indusyunic Medicine, 1997. Usmanghani, K., Saeed, A. and Alam, M. T. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Karachi, Karachi. pp 263-265. Unani Adwiyah Mufradah, 1984. Ali, Saifuddin, A. (3rd edi.). Taraqi-e-Urdu Bureau, R. K. Puram, New Delhi. pp 57-58. |
| Remarks | Avicenna (Ibn Sina) has described under two different drugs e.g. Irsa and Sausan. Sausan is cultivated variety. Iris ensata (Irsa) is more effective in respiratory and cephalic disorders. It is an important drug and is described by all the Unani physicians. It is listed in the vegetable drugs used exclusively in Unani medicine. The other allied species (I. germanica) may also be used as Irsa or Sosan. Both species are mentioned as the source of Irsa in Unani literature. | |
| Last renewal date | 2023/05/23 | |