Amylum, Starch

Amidum, Amisum
Preparation of Starch
Ortus sanitatis, Cube, Johann von, 1501

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Botanical name:

Starch extract from various plants, usually Wheat

Parts used:

Starch prepared from Wheat bran or Wheat meal.

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry. Sweet

Uses:

1. Clears Heat, Benefit the Lungs, Stops Cough:
-soreness, dryness, roughness and irritation of the Throat
-Cough, Wheezing, chronic Lung Disease
-Catarrh from heat

2. Clears Stomach Heat, Nourishes Yin:
-soreness, irritation or bleeding of the Stomach
-Diarrhea, Dysentery

3. Clears Heat and Damp:
-urinary irritation, abscess or ulcer of the Kidneys or Bladder

4. Benefits Yin:
-Consumption, chronic weakness, convalescence
-auxiliary medicine for Diabetes

5. Externally:
-Soothes the Skin: topically to make the skin smooth and soft

Dose:

1–4 grams

Preparation of Starch:

‘It is made either out of Wheat Bran or Wheat Meal, by soaking it in water, and washing the flower from the Husk and decanting the clear water, which settling the clear water is separated, and the foecula at bottom carefully dried for use’. (Salmon, Seplasium)

Main Combinations:

1. Starch was formerly commonly boiled in milk until the milk is thick. This is a restorative and soothing food, good for weakness, convalescence, cough etc.
2. Starch with Violets for Cough, Sore Throat or irritation of the airways
3. Heat type Cough, Starch with Tabasheer and Licorice
4. Heat type Urinary irritation, Starch with Linseed and Cucumber seed
5. Starch with water topically to make the skin smooth, fair and soft

Major Formulas:

Troches for Cough (Andromachus)
Troches of Saffron (Damocrates)
Troches of Spodium (Trochisci Spodii) (Nicholas)
Troches for Abscess and Ulcer of the Kidneys
Troches of Winter Cherry (Trochisci Alkekengi) (Mesue)
Troches of Winter Cherry (Unani)
Troches of Earth of Lemnos (Trochisci de Terra Lemna)
Troches of Barberries (Trochisci de Berberis) (Mesue)
Sugar Penid (Diapenidon Frigidum) (Nichoals)
Sugar Penid with Spices (Diapenidon Compositum) (Nicholas)
Powder of Haly (Haly)
Tragacanth Cooling Powder (Diatragacanth Frigidum) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Pine Nuts (Looch de Pino) (Mesue)
Electuary of Orris Root (Diaireos Salomonis) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Poppy (Diapapaver) (Mesue)
Restorative Electuary (Antidotus Analeptica) (Nicholas)
Electuary to Restore Humidity (Arnold de Villa Nova)
Lohoch of Poppy (Lohoc de Papavere)

Powder for Dry Cough
Powder for Hoarseness of the Throat
Powder for Bleeding from the Stomach (Serapion)
Powder for Diabetes Greater (Unani)
Pills for Hot Cough (Zacharia)
Pills to Hold in the Mouth for Catarrh

Cautions:

None noted

Main Preparations used:

Prepared starch