Pills of Mezereon Major

Tradition:

Western / Unani

Source / Author:

De morbus internis curandis, Mesue, 1551

Herb Name	Latin	Amount
Chebulic Myrobalan	Terminalia chebula
Belleric Myrobalan	Terminalia bellerica
Emblic Myrobalan	Emblica officinalis
Wormwood	Artemisia absinthum
Agaric	Fomitopsis officinalis	3 drams ea.
Rhubarb	Rheum palmatum	2 drams
Indian Spikenard	Nardostachys jatamansi	1 dram
Mezereon prepared *	Daphne mezereum	8 drams
Sagapen	Ferula persica
Opopanax	Commiphora guidottii
Mastic	Pistacia lentiscus
Lacca	Laccifer lacca	1 dram ea.
Myrrh	Commiphora molmol
Dragon’s Blood	Daemonorops draco	1⁄2 dram ea.
Aloe	Aloe spp.	weight of all the rest

* Mezereon is prepared by steeping in vinegar for 3 days, changing the vinegar daily, then drying.

Preparation:

Dissolve gums in wine, add the rest in fine powder and form small pills

Function:

Clears Phlegm, purges Water

Use:

1. Edema
2. Damp diseases with excess water

Dose:

1⁄2 dram, up to 1 dram

Cautions:

1. Avoid overdose
2. Not suitable in Yin deficiency
3. Not used during Pregnancy

Modifications:

Comment:

Source text said it “Purges all Watery humors, crass [undigested] Phlegm, Bile, and evacuates yellow water”. Yellow Water here refers to Damp-Heat and can include high Uric acid as found in Gout. Interestingly, Tibetan Medicine also refers to “Yellow Water” diseases.

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