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Polipodium, Polypody

Bisfayaj (Unani)
Shui Long Gu, Duo Zu Jue Shu [lit. ‘Multi-Foot fern’=Polypodium] (TCM)
Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563
Medical Botany, Woodville, Hooker, 1832
  Official Polypody                                                                  A second species used
Della Materia Medicinale Andrea Valuassori, 1562

Flora von Deutschland, Kohler, 1886

Polypody root
Notes on Pharmacognosy, Otto Augustus Wall, 1902

Polypody root
(Calcutta Unani College, Adam, 2019)
Botanical name:
Polypodium vulgare (TCM, West); P. virginianum is also used in TCM.

Parts used:
Root; that growing on the Oak was regarded as best

Temperature & Taste:
Mildly Warm, very dry. Bitter, Sweet, Pungent
Some sources claim it is Cold. Avicenna said it is Warm.

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;
-Hemorrhoids.
-keeps the Hair colored, prevents grey hairs.  
-Exhilarant and Cardiac tonic.

2. Clears Damp and Heat, Promotes Urine:
-burning urine, Strangury, Jaundice, Gonorrhea (TCM, West)
-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;
-Rickets (West)
-Joint disease, Lumbago; promotes healing of Bones (TCM)
    
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 recommend the root used topically for Ulcers


NOTE:
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)
Of the Decoction: 3–6 grams, up to 9 grams
In Powder: 1–3 grams

CORRECTIVES:
1. Corrected with Licorice or Mastic
2. Fennel, Caraway, Aniseed, Clove, Ginger and Cinnamon correct it, and quicken its activity.
3. Unani considered Chebulic Myrobalan as the best Corrective.

SUBSTITUTES:
1. Dodder herb (Avicenna)
2. Indian Salt in half its quantity (Avicenna)

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. 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 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
5. 'Evil color of the Face' and Phthisis, take 3–4 ounces of distilled water of Polypody every morning (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
6. Spitting Blood, Polypody decocted in Goat milk whey (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
7. Obstruction of the Organs from Damp and Phlegm, Polypody, Senna, Galangal, Ginger (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
8. Spleen obstruction, Jaundice and Edema, Polypody with Cream of Tartar.
9. Hardness of the Spleen, Polypody with Mallows
10. Cleanse the Blood, Polypody with Fumitory, Thyme, Chicory, Agrimony
11. Chronic Skin diseases, Eczema, Psoriasis, Polypody with Dodder, Oregano, Pennyroyal, Black Myrobalan, Yellow Myrobalan, Rhubarb (as in Electuary of Dodder and Fumitory)
12. Arthritis, Rheumatism, Polypody with Guaiacum, Sarsaparilla, Cinnamon (as in Decoction of Guaiacum and Sarsaparilla)

Major Formulas:
Decoction of Dodder of Thyme (Rhasis)
Decoction of Dodder of Thyme (Mesue)
Decoction of Senna
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 of Polypody (Montagnana)
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 of Lapis Lazuli-1 (Mesue)
Greater Polycrest Pills
Pills to Crumble Kidney Stones (Unani)

Cautions:
‘It works very safely’ (Culpeper)
As it is very drying it is not suitable in Yin deficiency.

Main Preparations used: