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Castoreum

Jundbedastar (Unani)
Gart der Gesundheit, Cuba, 1485

Materia Medica Animalia, Peter Peyto Good, 1853
Zoological name:
Castor fiber (Eurasian); C. canadensis (North American)

Parts used:
Aromatic Gland, dried

Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Pungent, Bitter
The genuine has a highly aromatic, fetid, strong, unpleasant scent
"It is essentially Hot from the last phase of Third degree to the Fourth degree and Dry in the Second degree". (Avicenna)
"It is more attenuant and potent than all the substances which are warming and desiccant". (Avicenna)

Uses:
1. Clears Wind-Damp, Opens the Orifices:
-Convulsions, Epilepsy, Apoplexy
-benefits Brain and Memory, Amnesia
-Deafness, Tinnitus
-"useful for the Nerves and Warms them" ... "Humid Convulsion and Tetanus, Numbness and Paralysis". (Avicenna)
-also for Wind-Damp Joint pain

2. Clears Cold-Phlegm:
-Cough, Catarrh
-"The vapours of castoreum are inhaled in pulmonitis and such other diseases of lungs". (Avicenna)

3. Moves the Qi, Opens Obstructions:
-Colic, Griping
-abdominal distention and pain
-Hiccough

4. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea
-promotes Labor; cleanses the Afterbirth
-"Expels Fetus, removes congestion and coldness of the Uterus and Testicles". (Avicenna)

5. Resists Poison:
-Snake Bites, Rabid Dog Bites

6. Externally:
-"useful in hot swellings". (Avicenna)
-"also useful in deafness attributed to cold" (Avicenna)


Dose:
Powder: 300–650mg (5–10 grains) was the usual dose

Substitutes:
1. Valerian
2. Styrax;
3.. Asafetida (Galen)
4. Calamus an equal part with half part of Pepper (Avicenna)
5. Fox testes (Salmon);
6. Musk
7. Gum Ammoniac

Adulterants:
Adulterants are common and may include Gum Ammoniac, Blood and powdered Beaver Kidneys.

Main Combinations:
1. Paralysis, Castoreum with Cowslip, Lavender, Cress, Walnut (Salerno)
2. Epilepsy, Castoreum with Peony and Sea Holly root
3. Amnesia, Lethargy "useful in amnesia and lethargia when used with vinegar and rose-oil". (Avicenna)
4. "Stupor and Fever": "When taken with honey and pepper, it proves to be useful in stupor and fever without causing any side-effects". (Avicenna)
5. Deafness, Tinnitus: "In such a case a dose of castoreum equivalent to one grain of lentil is mixed with nard oil and used as ear-drops". (Avicenna)
6. Wind-Damp Joint Pain, Castoreum with Costus, Agaric and Ginger (as in Antidote for Hip Pain and Arthritis of Nicholas)
7. To promote Menstruation:
i. Castoreum with Motherwort, Pennyroyal, Mugwort, Balm
ii. Castoreum with Saffron, Mugwort
iii. Castoreum with Myrrh, Storax, Savin, Cinnamon (Wirtzung)
8. Hysteria, and to promote Labor, Castoreum with Lavender, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Clove
9. "taken with vinegar in hiccough". (Avicenna)
10. Abdominal distension from Wind and Cold, Castoreum with Oregano and Caraway seed (equal parts). Dose is 3 grains (Avicenna)

Major Formulas:
Decoction for the Womb (Schroder)
Compound for Paralysis (Salerno)
Powder for Epilepsy (De Medicis Pulveribus)
Powder for Uterine Pain (Wirtzung)
Hiera Logadii
Electuary of Bayberries (Electuarium de Baccis Lauri)
Electuary of Frankincense (Diaolibanum) (Nicholas)
Electuary for Crass and Viscid Humors (Azaricon)
Antidote Proven for Diverse Diseases (Nicholas)
Antidote for Hip Pain and Arthritis (Nicholas)
Foetid Pills Minor of Galen
Pills of Opopanax (De morbus internis curandis)
Pills of Sarah (Unani)

Cautions:
Avoid during Pregnancy

Main Preparations used:
Oil of Castoreum, Tincture of Castoreum

1. OIL of CASTOREUM.
  Castoreum             1 oz.
  Oil                            1 lb.
  Wine                       4 oz.
Heat them gently until the wine is evaporated.
    
2. TINCTURE of CASTOR.
  Castor                      1 oz.
  Rectified Spirit        1 pint.
Macerate for 7 days in a closed vessel, stirring occasionally. Strain, press and filter. Add enough Rectified Spirit to make 1 pint. Dose: 1–2 fluid drams.