4C. Cardiac
Materia Medica in Arabic & Persian, Shirazy, 1793Cordials and Cardiacs are medicines appropriated to the Heart. The term Cordial is derived from the Latin base Cor, meaning Heart. Cordials are generally medicines which soothe the Heart and settle the Spirit, whereas Cardiacs relate to all medicines for the Heart.
Aphorisms on Cardiacs, collected by Culpeper, (Composita, 1656):
- As the Brain is the seat of the senses, so is the Heart of the Affections [emotions], it is also the fountain of Life, and the original of Heat
- Its properties are two. 1. To give life to the body by its Heat. 2. To give vigor to the Will by its affections
- Such things as cheer the Mind, strengthen the Heart it self, or refresh the Spirits, are called Cordials.
- Yet are not the Cordials of one and the same nature, for whereas the Heart is variously troubled, either with anger, or love, or fear, or hatred, or sadness, or other affections, it is refreshed either by temperating or taking away the same.
- The Heart is afflicted by too much Heat, by Poisons, by filthy vapors.
- Against these the Heart is assisted in a three-fold manner, viz. by cooling the heat of Fever, resisting Poison, and strengthening the Heart by a peculiar property.
- Neither do they all operate after one and the same manner; for some strengthen the Heart against poison in general, others by a certain antipathy, are opposed to one particular kind of Poison.
- Such things as strengthen the Heart, do it either by planetary influence, which Doctors call a hidden [occult] way… Or else they do it by similitude of substance. Or else by a forcible drawing away of what offends it.
Ayurveda has the Group of Herbs which Stimulate the Heart:
Pomegranate, Mango kernel, Citron, Sour Cherry, Tamarind, Sloe (Prunus spinosa), Spondias, Rumex vesicarius, Artocarpus lakoocha, Carissa carandas
Warming Cardiacs
4 Greater Cold Seeds 4 Cordial Flowers 5 Precious Stones
Western Classification