Argentum, Silver, Yin 银
Raupya, Rajata, Chandi (Sanskrit)Fizza, Nuqra (Unani)
Yin (TCM)
Dngul དངུལ་ (Tibetan Medicine)
Hortus sanitatis, 1491
Silver in Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
Native Silver (Photo by Halfdan) (Wikimedia)Mineralogical Name:
Argentum
Parts used:
Silver leaf; Bhasma; various preparations of Silver including Silver Nitrate (caustic)
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry (some said Moist). Sour, sweet.
Properties:
Nature: granular, lumps, feather-like dendrites
Color: silver to greyish
Streak: white
Cleavage: none
Fracture: Hackly
Luster: Metallic
Tenacity: Sectile, ductile, malleable
Transparency: Opaque
Hardness: 2.5–3
Specific Gravity: 10–11.1
Uses:
1. Clears Wind-Heat, Benefits the Yin (West, TCM, Ayurveda, Tibet):
-strengthens the body, promote youthfulness, and increase Memory. (Bhasma, Ayurveda)
-Silver was sometimes combined with Gold, usually in the form of the leaves, in grand compositions against poison, to strengthen the body, and protect the Heart; common in various traditions. Also sometimes used in Consumption and Hectic fevers.
-maintain healthy and smooth skin. (Tibet)
2. Strengthens the Kidneys, Benefits the Yin (West, TCM, Ayurveda, Tibetan):
-Yin deficiency disorders
–Unani medicine uses Silver preparations for Premature Ejaculation, Oligospermia and Nocturnal Emission.
-disorders of the Womb, and for Hysteric fits.
-Back pain (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-Threatened Miscarriage (TCM, Ben Cao Gang Mu)
3. Clears Wind-Heat, Regulates Heart:
-Heart disorders including Palpitations and ‘Neuralgia of the Heart’.
-inflammatory conditions of the Heart, and to strengthens the Muscles, increase Stamina, for Emaciation, Chronic Fevers, and debility
after prolonged illness or Fever. (Ayurveda)
4. Clears Wind-Heat, Calms the Mind, Stops Spasms, Eases Pain:
-Migraine, Epilepsy, Apoplexy, inveterate Headaches, Palsy and Lethargy
-Madness, Insanity and Melancholy (West); Unani medicine likewise uses Silver for Vertigo and Insanity.
-Silver has been used for chronic Nervous Irritability, Chorea and Locomotor Ataxy in modern times
-Ayurveda and Tibetan Medicine also use it for various Wind disorders; in Tibet, it is used in formula for Paralysis.
5. Clears Heat and Poison (West, TCM, Ayurveda, Tibetan):
-internally for various forms of Heat and Poison; Silver is a strong antibacterial, useful for many infections.
-Chronic Infections and Infectious diseases including Dysentery, chronic Diarrhea and various intestinal affections.
-injected in for Urethritis, Cystitis, and Vaginitis, Gonorrhea;
-as an enema has been used for chronic Dysenteric Ulcers
6. Clears Stomach Heat:
-gastric Ulcers, pain of the stomach, heartburn, poor appetite, acidity and other digestive disorders (Ayurveda);
-‘also in some forms of Dyspepsia, attended with pain in the Stomach and Vomiting’
7. Externally:
-preparations of Silver have been used for their antiseptic quality
-used as a local stimulant to indolent Wounds, unhealthy granulations, indolent sinuses, various skin diseases, Ulcers and Fistula.
-As a wash to prevent pitting of Small Pox, and for Pruritus (inc. that of the anus and vulva).
-Also used for Eczema of the Ear (1 in 20)
-used as a wash for Laryngitis, Pharyngitis, Tonsillitis, Glossitis, Stomatitis and Gingivitis (15-100 grains added to 1 oz. of soft water, used as a gargle).
-topically in various strengths for many complaints including Chilblains, Orchitis, Epididymitis, Bed Sores, Fissure, lesions of the mucous membranes, cervical ulcers.
-Toothache
-preparations of Silver is still widely used for burns in modern medicine.
-Used as a wash for eye conditions including Conjunctivitis, Corneal Ulcers, Keratitis, Gonorrheal Opthalmia. (0.2%-1% solution; 1-4 grains to an oz. of Water, used as an eye wash)
-As a caustic Silver Nitrate has been applied to Warts, Corns, Bunions, as well as Poison Wounds, the bites of Rabid animals and other venomous animal bites.
Dose:
Silver leaf: 60–120mg;
Powder: 10–30mg;
Correctives:
1. Honey
2. Tragacanth
3. Formation of Bhasma (ashes) also corrects Silver
Substitute:
Turquoise (Unani)
Main Combinations:
1. Cardiac stimulant, and for Depression and Hypertension, with Tabasheer, Serpentine, Oyster shell, Green Agate, Ambergris (as in Sufuf Fizzah of Unani)
2. Sexual Debility and Premature Ejaculation, with Saffron, Skink, Nutmeg, Cuttlefish bone, Musk, Serpentine (as in Pills of Nishat of Unani)
3. Epilepsy, with Mistletoe, Amber and Coral
4. Dyspnoea, with Bhasma of Silver and Gold, Cinnabar, Coral, Pearl, Iron Bhasma, Mica Bhasma, Musk, Realgar, Emblic Myrobalan (as in Kanchanabhra of Ayurveda)
5. Threatened Miscarriage, decoct Silver in alcohol and water and drink. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
6. Toothache, heat Silver to red hot and quench i cold alcohol several times. Use as a mouthwash. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
Major Formulas:
Medicine to Defend the Base from all Danger
Pills of Nishat (Unani)
Cautions:
1. The metal in non-toxic, but some of its salts are toxic.
2. Long-term use of Silver salts can lead to chronic skin discoloration. The salts were not used for more than a month or two without a break.
Toxicity:
–Tissue distribution and acute toxicity of silver after single intravenous administration in mice: nano-specific and size-dependent effects
–In vitro intestinal toxicity of commercially available spray disinfectant products advertised to contain colloidal silver
Main Preparations used:
Leaf, Bhasma, various Salts. In modern times, Colloidal Silver has gained popularity.
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‘It is Cold and Moist, and Cephalic, and therefore is said to strengthen the Head, and by cheering the animal Spirits, resists all diseases of that part, chiefly the Megrim [Migraine], Apoplexy, Epilepsy, &c.’ The tincture is used for Epilepsy, Apoplexy, Vertigo, Lethargy, Migraine, Palpitation, Madness, Melancholy, by comforting and strengthening the Brain. It has the virtue of the Tincture of Gold, but |
not so strong. The Calx prepared by dissolving in Nitric acid and washing well has similar virtues. The Amalgamation (made with equal parts of Silver filings and Mercury) is reduced to powder. Used as a plaster it relieves pain of Gout. The powder applied to Ulcerated Cancers has been known to cure them as well as other stubborn Ulcers and running Sores. (Salmon, Seplasium) |