Polipodium, Polypody

Bisfayaj (Unani)
Shui Long Gu, Duo Zu Jue Shu [lit. ‘Multi-Foot fern’=Polypodium] (TCM)

Gart der Gesundheit, Cuba, 1485

Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

Official Polypody A second species used
Della Materia Medicinale Andrea Valuassori, 1562

Flora von Deutschland, Kohler, 1886

Polypodium vulgare
(Photo by Saxifraga mutata) (Wikimedia)

Polypody root
Notes on Pharmacognosy, Otto Augustus Wall, 1902

Polypody root
(Calcutta Unani College, Adam, 2019)

BUY POLYPODY ROOT

Botanical name:

Polypodium vulgare (TCM, West)
P. virginianum is also used in TCM.
A number of other species have reportedly been used similarly including P. decumanum, P. aureum, P. triseriale, P. lowery, P. loriceum.

Parts used:

Root; that growing on the Oak was regarded as best
“The best is that which is as thick as an index finger, somewhat green or yellow, compact, fresh, with a little Bitterness but Sweet (at the sametime) and Acrid, tasting somewhat like a Clove”. (Avicenna)

Temperature & Taste:

Mildly Warm, very dry. Bitter, Sweet, Pungent
“It is Hot in the Second and Dry in the Third degree … It is Sweet“. (Avicenna)
Some sources claim it is Cold.

Classifications:

2A APERIENT. 2G. CLEANSING. 2H. CARMINATIVE
3K. EXPECTORANT
4f. SPLENETIC

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Damp, Purges Melancholy:
-‘a gallant though gentle purger of Melancholy’ (Culpeper)
-opens obstructions of the Liver and Spleen; Hypochondriac Melancholy; Swelling of the Liver or Spleen.
-stubborn skin diseases, Fibroid Tumors, Cancer, Leprosy;
-mental disturbances, Madness, Schizophrenia, Depression, Nightmares;
-Dementia, Parkinsonism
-Hemorrhoids.
-keeps the Hair colored, prevents grey hairs.
-Exhilarant and Cardiac tonic.
-“It removes flatulence [Wind] and Moistness”. (Avicenna)

2. Clears Damp and Heat, Promotes Urine:
-burning urine, Strangury, Gonorrhea (TCM, West)
-Jaundice, Hepatitis
-Diarrhea and Dysentery. (TCM, West)

3. Clears Phlegm, Stops Cough and Wheezing:
-Cough and Asthma with tough, hard-to-clear Phlegm.
-Difficulty Breathing (powdered root)
-Tuberculosis (TCM, West)

4. Clears Heat and Poison:
-Boils, Carbuncles, Toxic sores, Urticaria, Rubella, and for Febrile Convulsions in Children. (TCM)

5. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis:
-Trauma and Bruising (TCM)

6. Clears Damp, Benefits the Bones and Joints:
–Mesue used it for superfluous humors, including Rheumatic swellings of the hands, feet, knees, and joints;
-Joint diseases including Arthritis and Rheumatism (Unani)
-Joint disease, Lumbago; promotes healing of Bones (TCM)
-Rickets (West)

7. Kills Worms. (Powdered herb)

8. Externally:
-‘very good for chaps between the fingers’. (Dioscorides)
-applied topically for Nasal Polyps (topically with Honey); or the powder is used as a Snuff (Pliny)
-The root beaten and applied, helps Sprains and Dislocations; Dioscorides used it for Sprains.
-bruised with Vinegar and applied to the Spleen and other places to relieve inflammation.
-topically to sores, boils, hives and toxic sores.
-beaten applied topically to Bruises, Inflammations and Swellings (TCM)
-Felon: beat the fresh root with alcohol, mix, and apply. (TCM)
-old TCM texts recommend the root topically for Ulcers

Comment:

The Polypodium species are fairly similar in appearance and activity. In both the West and TCM; various species have supplied the market. While it is not a regularly used herb in TCM, it is a very important medicine for Melancholy in the Western Tradition.

Dose:

1. Dioscorides said it was common to boil it with Chicken or Beef; Avicenna said boil with Chicken or Fish Soup.
2. Best taken with a liquid like Hydromel (Avicenna)
Decoction: 5–15 grams
Powder: 2–6 grams

Correctives:

1. Corrected with Licorice or Mastic
2. Fennel, Caraway, Aniseed, Clove, Ginger and Cinnamon correct it, and quicken its activity.
3. Unani considers Chebulic Myrobalan and Damask Rose as the best Correctives.

Substitutes:

1. Dodder herb (Avicenna)
2. Indian Salt in half its quantity (Avicenna)
3. Hiera Picra
4. Aloe

Main Combinations:

1. To purge all Humors:
i. Polypody with Senna, Dodder, Caper root-bark, Agaric, Hart’s Tongue, Balm, Betony, Aniseed (as in Syrup to Purge all Humors of Frankfurt)
ii. Polypody with Fennel seed, Aniseed, Senna, Rhubarb, Licorice, Cold seeds (as in Catholicum)
2. To Purge Melancholy Humor:
i. Polypody with Senna, Ginger, Raisin, Prune, Borage, Violet, Rose, Rosemary (as in Decoction of Senna)
3. Purge Melancholy and Phlegm/Damp:
i. Asthma, Leprosy, Epilepsy, Melancholy, Arthritic, Rheumatic complaints, Polypody with Fumitory and Triphala (Unani)
ii. Polypody with Elecampane. (Pomet)
iii. Fibroid Tumors, Cancer, Polypody with Black Myrobalan, Senna, Turbith, Dodder (as in Decoction of Dodder of Thyme)
4. To resolve Wind and Damp, Polypody, Aniseed, Fennel seed, Cumin (Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485)
5. To Purge Phlegm Humor from the Chest:
i. prepare a decoction of Polypody and infuse Agaric in the strained decoction (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Polypody with Agaric, Turbith, Aniseed
6. ‘Evil color of the Face’ and Phthisis, take 3–4 ounces of distilled water of Polypody every morning (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
7. Couch, Bronchitis, Polypody root, Aniseed, Licorice
8. Spitting Blood, Polypody decocted in Goat milk whey (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
9. Obstruction of the Organs from Damp and Phlegm, Polypody, Senna, Galangal, Ginger (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
10. Spleen obstruction, Jaundice and Edema, Polypody with Cream of Tartar.
11. Hardness of the Spleen, Polypody with Mallow
12. Cleanse the Blood, Polypody with Fumitory, Thyme, Chicory, Agrimony
13. Chronic Skin diseases, Eczema, Psoriasis, Polypody with Dodder, Oregano, Pennyroyal, Black Myrobalan, Yellow Myrobalan, Rhubarb (as in Electuary of Dodder and Fumitory)
14. Edema, and for obstructions:
i. Polypody, Dodder, Agaric, Celery seed, Fennel seed
ii. Polypody, Dodder, Pepper, Amomum, Clove, Cinnamon, Spikenard, Parsley seed, Aniseed
iii. Polypody, Rhubarb, Sagapen, Tithymalus (Spurge), Spikenard, Aloes (Syrian ‘Book of Medicine‘, Budge, 1913)
15. Arthritis, Rheumatism:
i. Polypody is taken in Chicken Soup (Unani)
ii. Polypody, Fennel seed, Colchicum (Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485)
iii. Polypody with Guaiacum, Sarsaparilla, Cinnamon (as in Decoction of Guaiacum and Sarsaparilla)

Major Formulas:

Powder of Polypody (Montagnana)
Electuary of Polypody
Decoction of Dodder of Thyme (Rhasis)
Decoction of Dodder of Thyme (Mesue)
Decoction of Fumitory Compound
Decoction of Senna
Decoction of Thyme (Mesue)
Decoction of Guaiacum and Sarsaparilla
Syrup to Purge all Humors of Frankfurt
Syrup of Fumitory Greater
Syrup of Dodder of Thyme (Mesue)
Syrup of Horehound (Fernelius)
Syrup of Betony (Pharmacopoeia Augustana)
Wine for Scrophula (Renodeus)
Powder for Epilepsy (Unani)
Powder Against Rabies
Hiera Logadii
Arabian Confect Purging Melancholy (Confectio Hamech) (Mesue)
Catholicum (Diacatholicum) (Nicholas)
Bishops Electuary (Electuarium Elescop) (Mesue)
Electuary of Dodder (Unani)
Electuary of Dodder and Fumitory (Mesue)
Electuary for Head and Stomach Pain (Galen)
Electuary for Melancholy and Fear (Filius Zacharia)
Triphala Electuary of Dodder (Unani)
Indian Pills (Mesue)
Pills for Melancholy (Unani)
Pills for Uterine Fibroids
Greater Polycrest Pills
Pills to Crumble Kidney Stones (Unani)

Cautions:

‘It works very safely’ (Culpeper)
1. Unani texts consider it harmful for the Lungs and Kidneys (ie. damages the Yin).
2. As it is very drying it is not suitable in Yin deficiency.

Main Preparations used:

Extra Info
Research