Iris, Orris and Flower de Luce

Bekh e Sosan, Irsa (Unani)
Susan (Arabic)

Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

De Materia Medica, Andres de Laguna, 1555

Left: Iris germanica;   Right: I. florentina
Della Materia Medicinale, Andrea Valuassori, 1562 (left)

Iris germanica
Flora von Deutschland, Kohler, 1886

Iris florentina
Darstellung und Beschreibung sammtliche, Berg, 1858

IRIS FLORENTINA
1, Branched rhizome. 2. Root scars on the under surface. 3. Indistinct annulations. 4. Transverse section showing thick cortex. 5. Section showing conducting tissue in masses.

IRIS GERMANICA
1. Large rhizome showing under surface and numerous root scars. 2. Leaf bases. 3. Portion of unpeeled surface. 4. Cortex. 5. Large, frequently dark, central cylinder.

(Squibb’s Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919)

Uses:

1. Clears Cold Phlegm, Stops Cough:

-Cold Phlegm disorders of the Lung
-Cough, Asthma, shortness of Breath
-Cold-Phlegm and Damp conditions of the Brain and Nerves including dullness, poor memory etc
-“useful in convulsion and muscular contracture when used internally with vinegar or wine”. (Avicenna)
-“The decoction of Orris softens Hard and thick Swellings and Scrofula”. (Avicenna)

2. Clears Damp, Settles Wind:

-chronic Cold-Wind=Phlegm conditions of the Brain, Nerves and Joints
-Joint pain, Sciatica
-Chronic Headaches, Spasms, Convulsions, Epilepsy, Dizziness
-“It induces Sleep and removes chronic Headache”. (Avicenna)
-“Its enema is useful for Sciatica”. (Avicenna)

3. Clears Damp, Purges Water:

-in formula for Damp, Fluid retention, Edema
-internally and externally it is useful for Edema (Avicenna)
-the fresh juice or fresh root of Flower de Luce strongly purges Water; Edema

4. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:

-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea (both)
-obstructions of the Uterus
-suppository made with Honey promotes Abortion. (Avicenna)

5. Opens Obstructions of the Liver:

-Liver inflammation and Hepatitis (Unani)
-cold pain of the Liver or Spleen (Avicenna)
-Jaundice, Biliary Fever

6. Resists Poison:

-Venomous bites and stings (decocted in water and vinegar and drunk)
–It acts as an Antidote for all poisons if taken with Vinegar (Avicenna)

7. Externally:

-externally to cleanse the skin, for Itch etc.
-applied to remove Freckles and Lentigo (Avicenna)
-“When mixed with Rose-oil and Vinegar (or wine) and then applied, it removes Headache”. (Avicenna)
-Errhine for the nose (causes sneezing), to cleanse the head
-the fresh root bruised and applied as a poultice for Bruising
-a pessary with Honey expels a Dead Child.
-juice or powder is applied to Hemorrhoids
-decoction is gargled for Toothache
-oil is applied for cold diseases of the Joints and Sinews, and to Cold Tumors
-as an enema for Sciatica (Avicenna)
-fresh or powdered root applied to Wounds and Ulcers to promote healthy flesh
-powder applied covers bones with flesh (Avicenna)
-decoction applied softens hard Tumors and Scrofula (Avicenna)
-fresh or powdered root also cleanses and heals Malignant Ulcers and Fistulas (Avicenna)
-sitting in the decoction for Uterine Fibroids and Cold Uterine pain (Avicenna)

Main Combinations:

Lungs:

1. Cough, Wheezing from Cold Phlegm:
i. Powder Orris (1 part) and mix with Honey (3 parts) to form an Electuary; dose: 1 spoonful (Syrian ‘Book of Medicine‘, Budge, 1913)
ii. Orris with Licorice and Fennel seed
iii. Orris with Licorice and Elecampane
iv. Orris with Diatragacanth Frigidum.
v. Orris with Pennyroyal, Hyssop, Tragacanth, Bitter Almond, Pine nut, Ginger, Figs, Raisins (as in Electuary of Orris)
vi. Orris with Cinnamon, Hyssop, Licorice, Fig, Almond, Aniseed, Fennel seed (as in Confection for Cold Cough)
vii. Orris with Radish seed, Pellitory, Elecampane, Black Pepper (as in Powder Proven for Lung Defects and All Coughs of Galen)
viii. Orris with Licorice, Aniseed, Fennel seed, Saffron (Citrine Powder)
2. Asthma from Cold Phlegm:
i. Orris with Squill, Hyssop, Horehound, Myrrh, Saffron (as in Lohoch Effective for Asthma of Serapion)
ii. Orris with Agaric, Horehound, Turbith, Hiera Picra, Colocynth, Myrrh (as in Pills of Agaric of Mesue)
iii. Orris, Agaric, Hyssop, Thyme, decocted, straied with Honey added (Tractatus de materia medica, Geoffroy, 1741)
iv. Orris with Licorice  juice, Hyssop, Maidenhair, Bitter Almond, Nettle seed, Saltpeter, Radish seed (as in Electuary for Asthma)
v. Orris with Hyssop, Agaric, Licorice, Peony, Asarum, Gum Ammoniac, Fennel seed, Horehound, Lacca (as in Decoction of Hyssop of Andrezeos)
vi. Orris with Licorice, Anseed, Sulphur, made into an Electuary with syrup of Horehound. (Tractatus de materia medica, Geoffroy, 1741)

Head, Brain, Nerves:

3. Cold Phlegm of the Head, Orris with Sandalwood, Lavender, Marjoram, Storax, Benzoin, Clove, Calamus
4. Epilepsy:
i. Orris with Peony (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Orris (half dram) with Peony (1 scruple), Saffron (half scruple) (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
iii. Orris, Peony, Pearl, Coral, Emerald

Other:

5. Colic, bloating and abdominal pain from Cold and Wind:
i. Orris with Calamus, Galangal, Zedoary (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Orris, Peony (2 oz. ea.), Fennel (2 drams), Saffron (3 drams), Sugar Candy (3 oz.). Powder, Dose: 1–2 scruples (Tractatus de materia medica, Geoffroy, 1741)
6. Edema:
i. Orris with Elecampane, Celery root, Fennel root, Wormwood, Cinnamon (as in Wine for Edema)
ii. Orris with Parsley seed, Fennel seed, Cinnamon
7. Ascites, Orris with Rhubarb, Turbith, Wormwood, Euphorbia, Celery, Mastic, Tragacanth, Calamus, Lacca, Asarum (as in Powder for Ascites)

Externally:

8. As an oil to Warm coldness of the Head, Nerves, Joints and Abdomen, with Cyperus, Elecampane, Cinnamon and Spikenard
9. Headache, Orris with Rose oil and Vinegar (Avicenna)
10.  Errhine, Orris (3 parts), Betony, Marjoram (1 part each).
11. To promote Saliva: Orris (2 parts), Mustard seed, Stavesacre seed (½ part each). Tie in a cloth, hold in the mouth and chew for half an hour. (A Treatise on Foreign Drugs, Geoffroy and Thicknesse, 1749)
12. Poor Hearing, Powder of Orris, Aniseed, Galangal, Zedoary, sprinkled on warm bread and applied (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
13. Tinnitus, Orris with Vinegar put into the ear (Avicenna)
14. Freckles: “A mixture of Orris and Hellebore in equal quantity removes freckles and lentigo. Orris alone also produces the same effect”. (Avicenna)
15. As a cosmetic, combine with Almond meal, mix with Rose water and use as a scrub or mask.

Major Formulas

Decoction for Cough and Asthma (Dioscorides) 
Syrup for the Memory
Electuary of Orris Root (Diaireos Salomonis) (Nicholas)
Cephalic Decoction (Charras)
Powder Proven for Lung Defects and All Coughs (Galen)
Troches of Amber (Galen)
Electuary of Rose (Unani)
Electuary of Pine Nuts (Looch de Pino) (Mesue)
Indian Electuary (Unani)
Theriac of Sealed Earth
A Sound and Experienced Electuary (Mesue)
Lohoch Effective for Asthma (Serapion)
Pectoral Powder
Pills of Agaric (Mesue)
Pills to Purge Bile and Phlegm (2) (Mesue)
Tincture Against Asthma

1. Cephalic Powder:
i. Cyperus rotundus, Orris root (½ oz.), Lavender, Rosemary, Rose (6 drams each), Rhodium Wood, Yellow Sandalwood, Aloeswood (½ oz. each), Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Amber, Storax (3 drams each). (Dispensatorium Pharmaceuticum, 1777)
ii. Orris (3 oz.), Lavender, Marjoram (1 oz. each), Rhodium Wood, Sandalwood (6 drams), Cinnamon (2 drams), Orange peel (½ oz.), Lemon peel (1 ½ oz.), Clove (2 drams), Benzoin, Mastic, Storax, Amber (½ oz. each). (Pharmacopoeia Generalis, 1783)
iii. Orris (1 ½ oz.), Betony, Marjoram, Rosemary (½ oz. each), Sage (2 drams), Rose flower (1 oz.), Lavender, Clove Pink (2 drams each), Storax, Amber (3 drams each), Indian Spikenard, Sandalwood, Rhodium Wood, Aloeswood (2 drams each), Clove, Cyperus rotundus, Cinnamon, Benzoin (4 scruples each). (Dispensatorium medico pharmaceuticum Palatinatus, 1764)
2. Aromatic Vinegar:
i. Vinegar (6 lbs.), Orris, Rose, Clove-Pink flowers (1 oz. each), Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Orange peel, Storax, Benzoin (2 drams each), Marjoram, Mint, Thyme, Dittany of Crete (1 oz. each). Digest a month, then distil with a moderate heat.