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Hiera Picra
Ayarij Fiqra (Unani)
‘Holy Bitters’
Ayarij Fiqra (Unani)
‘Holy Bitters’
Tradition:
Western, Unani
Source / Author:
Themison of Ladodicea (c. 50 BC)
Galen is often credited, but he was not the originator.
1. The First version is the original of Themison of Ladodicea (c. 50 BC)
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2. The Second is the reformed version of Galen:
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3. The Third is from Mesue
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5. A Contemporary Unani version (Ayarij Fiqra):
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Preparation:
It is either used as a powder, or mixed with Honey to form an Electuarty. Generally, 3 parts by weight of clarified Honey can be used to form an Electuary.
Function:
Cleanses the Stomach, purifies the Blood, opens Obstructions, promotes Urine and Menstruation
Use:
"used for the stomach, and for all the ailments of the head which occur sympathetically".
1. Cleanses the Stomach and Bowels; used when Appetite or Digestion is affected by excess Humors or Food Stagnation.
2. Cleanses the Blood;
3. Used for various diseases requiring cleansing and opening; Ulcers; Tumors;
4. Headaches and otehr diseases of the Head coming from the Stoamch
5. Often added to larger formulas.
6. Also sometimes used in Enemas
Dose:
1⁄2–1 dram of the powder with Honey, or with Prunes; 2–3 drams if made into a confection with Honey.
Cautions:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Not used for more than 2 weeks without a break
Modifications:
1. To cleanse and purge the Stomach, add Cassia Fistula and Sugar.
2. To cleanse the Stomach when Damp, take with Tubith and Ginger
3. Insatiable Hunger from Heat, take with a decoction of Rhubarb, Myrobalans and Sour Dates
4. To purge Phlegm, add Chebulic Myrobalan and Polypody root
5. Obstruction of the Liver with Heat, take with Cassia Fistula
6. For Stomach Abscess; Take with Decoction of Mint, Wormwood, Maidenhair, Rose, Annis to which some Honey of Roses has been added.
7. Stomach Ulcers, take with Barley water or Mead
8. Dizziness: Hiera Picra 1⁄2 oz., Compound Oxymel 1 oz; take with a decoction made of Hyssop and Zedoary. (Wirtzung)
9. Arthritic disorders, add Rhubarb, Agaric, Chebulic Myrobalan.
10. Menstrual pain, and to promote Menstruation, mix equal parts of Pennyroyal and Hiera Picra.
11. Obstructed Menstruation, Hiera Picra, prepared Iron (2 drams each), Borax, Myrrh (1 scruple each), form 88 pills with Savin juice. Take 3 Pills every second day. (Aristotle)
12. Uterine Fibroids, add Polypody, Black Hellebore, Agaric, Lapis Lazuli (as in Pills for Uterine Fibroids)
13. Worms, add Wormseed, Scordium, Centuary (1 dram each) to 2 drams of Hiera Picra. Mix and divide into 10 doses.
14. Hiera Picra can be made into Suppositories in the following manner: Hiera Picra 1 dram; Salt 1⁄2 Scruple; Honey 1 oz.; ‘Seethe them all together hard, and make suppositories of them’. These were used for Constipation.
‘Probably it is the oldest Pharmaceutical compound still in existence’, according to Woottons Chronicles of Pharmacy (1910). That would, perhaps, be debatable when we consider the age of some of the Chinese and India formulas, nevertheless, this was commonly used for nearly 2 millennia. Also, its exact origin is not certain; it could be older than 50 BC. It is a principle cleansing formula, promoting circulation of Qi and Blood, removing obstructions, and clearing stagnation and excess.
In 1721, the London Pharmacopeia omitted Mastic and Spikenard, substituting Cardamon for the latter, and in 1746, it was reduced to just Aloes and Canella, under the name Pulvis Aloeticus.
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