Gossypium, CottonMaghz Pamba Dana (Seed, Unani)Kar Pa Sa (Tibetan) |
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Ortus Sanitatis, Cube, Johann von, 1501
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G. barbadense Illustrations of Indian Botany, Wight, 1840 |
Atlas der officinellen pflanzen, Felix, 1899 |
Botanical name:
Gossypium spp.
1. G. herbaceum (Asiatic Cotton, Levant Cotton)
2. G. barbadense (Egyptian Cotton)
Parts used:
Root-bark; Seed
Temperature & Taste:
Seed is Warm, moist, Sweet.
Root-bark is Warm, dry.
Classifications:
SEED:
3H. LACTAGOGUE 3I. APHRODISIACS 3L. ANTI-TUSSIVE
4d. PECTORAL
Uses:
ROOT-BARK:
1. Promotes Menstruation, Moves the Blood:
-Amenorrhea; sluggish Menstruation with pain and clots
-Sterility, Vaginitis, Leukorrhea, Chlorosis, and various Menstrual Irregularities.
-Hysteroptosis.
2. Promotes Labor:
-used as Ergot. Cook, in his Physiomedical Dispensatory (1869), said it is best in irritable or irregular contractions during Labor, rather than that associated with coldness and weakness
-formerly much used to induce Abortion.
3. Warms the Kidneys:
-Aphrodisiac; increases Seed.
-promotes Urine.
4. Stops Cough and Wheezing:
-Cough and Asthma
SEED (Warm, moist, sweet)
1. Nourishes Lung, Stops Cough:
-chronic Cough and Asthma from Lung weakness or Lung Yin deficiency
2. Calms Wind:
-Fatigue, Epilepsy and other wind disorders
3. Resolves Masses:
-Tumors and Cancers of the Stomach, Esophagus, Lung, Liver, Breast and Urinary Bladder.
4. Nourishes Yin, Strengthens the Kidneys:
-weakness of the Loin and Kidneys.
-relieves Thirst
-Consumption, Hectic Fevers
5. Increases Milk
6. Resists Poison:
-Antidote to Datura, Opium, Hashish
-Antidote to venom of Snakes and Scorpions.
-Intermittent Fever, Dysentery.
7. Promotes Menstruation and Labor:
-promotes Labor and induces Abortion.
-Suppressed Menstruation or Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding.
8. Externally:
i. cotton ashes applied dry up moist Sores and Ulcers.
ii. cotton ashes are applied to Stop Bleeding; blown up the Nose for Blood Nose, and applied to Bleeding Gums.
iii. the oil is applied to Rheumatic joints
iv. the oil is applied to the skin to remove Freckles and Spots.
v. seed oil is recommended in The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India for toning up the Breasts.
vi. a pessary dipped in cotton oil is used as a contraceptive.
Dose:
SEED in POWDER: 3–6 grams; against poison, 6 grams beaten in water is given against Datura poisoning; 10 grams is given against Opium poisoning, or the Bites of Snakes or Scorpions.
SEED in INFUSION or DECOCTION: 5–9 grams, up to 12 grams
ROOT-BARK: Fresh Bark Tincture (1:2 in 45% alcohol): 30–60 drops, twice, up to thrice daily; Dried Root-bark Tincture: (1:5 in 45% alcohol): 1 teaspoonful, up to 4 times daily;
ROOT-BARK in POWDER: 500mg–2 grams.
Comment:
1. The Root-Bark and Seed are similar in use. Both are used to promote Labor, and have been used to induce abortion. The root is also used for Menstrual diseases. Both are used to strengthen the Kidneys. The Root-Bark has more Yang tonic effects while the Seed nourishes Yin and increases Milk. Both are also used for Cough and Wheezing, the Seed again being more moistening and nourishing, therefore recommended for chronic cases with deficiency.
2. Gossypol, found in the seed, has shown a male contraceptive effect after taking 20mg doses daily for 3 months. It also Inhibits implantation.
Correctives:
SEED: Violet; Violet Sugar or Syrup; Sugar (Unani)
Substitute:
SEED:
1. Gum Arabic; Acacia seed; Safflower seed
2. Cotton seed is a substitute for Ergot. (Unani)
3. Cotton seed is a substitute for Eclipta.
ROOT:
1. Periwinkle
Main Combinations:
SEED:
1. Cough and Asthma:
i. Cotton seed with Elecampane, Licorice and Raisins.
ii. Cotton seed, Horehound, Maidenhair, Hyssop, Thyme, Coltsfoot, Licorice, Aniseed (as in Syrup of Horehound)
iii. Emulsion of Almonds for the Lungs: Blanched Almond (1 oz.), Pine kernel (½ oz.), Seeds of Citrul, Gourd, Melon, Cotton (1 dram each); beat with a decoction of Jujubes and Raisins to form an emulsion (Pemel, 1652)
2. Painful and obstructed Urine:
i. Cotton seed with Marshmallow, Licorice and Barley
ii. Cotton seed with Marshmallow, Poppy seed, Red Earth, Tragacanth (as in Powder for Dysuria)
3. Weakness and Wasting, Qi and Yin deficiency,
i. Cotton seed, Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi), Lycium Gou Qi Zi (‘Goji berries’), Eucommia Du Zhong, Ginger juice, Honey, form pills. (Chinese Materia Medica, Stuauoft)
ii. Cotton seed with Rose, Licorice, Tragacanth, Licorice juice, White Poppy seed, Melon seed, Pumpkin seed, Mallow seed, Violet, Pine nut, Sweet Almond (as in Restorative Electuary (Antidotus Analeptica) of Nicholas)
iii. all types of weakness, Cotton seed, Chinese Red Date (Da Zao), Achyranthes Niu Xi, Lycium Gou Qi Zi (‘Goji berries’), Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong, Cuscuta Tu Si Zi, Poria Fu Ling. (Chinese Materia Medica, Stuauoft)
4. To increase Sexual Potency:
i. Cotton seed, Wallflower with Carrot seed, Rocket seed, Orchid, Ginger, Ash tree keys
ii. Cotton seed with Orchd, Long Pepper, Asparagus root, Sesame seed, Pine nut (as in Electuary of Orchis of Unani)
5. Suppressed Menstruation, and for stalled Labor, Cotton Seed Oil in doses of 1 dram. The seed powder has been used similarly.
6. Old age tonic, Cotton seed, Walnut, made into pills with Congee paste. (‘Beating Age Pills‘, from Chinese Materia Medica, Stuart, 1911)
Major Formulas:
Powder for Dysuria
Restorative Electuary (Antidotus Analeptica) (Nicholas)
Troches of Gordon (Trochisci Gordonii)
Syrup Against Consumption
Syrup of Horehound (Fernelius)
Anti-Asthmatic Syrup (D’Aquin)
Cautions:
1. Seed is regarded as harmful to the Kidneys if used in large doses or for prolonged periods (Unani)
2. Not used during pregnancy except to promote Labor.