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Pyrethrum, Pellitory

Spanish Camomile, Pellitory of Spain; Bertram
Aaqarqarha, Ood al-qarh (Unani)
Akarkara, Aakarakarabha (Ayurveda)
Akirakaram (Siddha)
Della Materia Medicinale Andrea Valuassori, 1562
New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563
Krauterbuch, Rihel, 1565
Left: Greater Pyrethrum; Right: Lesser Pyrethrum
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
Kreutterbuch, Matthiolus, 1586

Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1804

1, Broken surface showing radiate ridges. 2. Tuft of white fibers in center of the crown. 3. Crown showing concentric lines.
4. Cut longitudinal surface showing wavy line. 5. Root with a large crown. 6, A slightly twisted spindle-shaped root.
Squibb's Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919
Botanical name:
Anacyclus pyrethrum (syn. Anthemis pyrethrum, Pyrethrum officinale); A. officinarum
Greater and Lesser varieties were known

Parts used:
Root

Temperature & Taste:
Very warm, dry. Pungent
cuts, digests, attenuates

Classifications:
2A APERIENT.    2K. RESOLVENT.    2M. DRAWING
3P. MASTICATORIES & STERNUTATORIES.   
3Q. ANTHELMINTIC
Cross-section of the root
Notes on Pharmacognosy, Otto Augustus Wall, 1902

Uses:
1. Clears Wind-Phlegm, Stops Spasms:
-Apoplexy, Epilepsy, Convulsions, Vertigo, Dizziness, Migraine
-Paralysis, Numbness, Hemiplegia, Loss of Speech
-Neuralgic pains including Trigeminal Neuralgia

2. Clears Wind-Cold, Resolves Phlegm:
-clears viscous Phlegm, especially of the Lungs
-Catarrh, Sinusitis, Rhinitis
-Hoarseness, Loss of Voice, Sore Throat
-Scrofula, Lymphadenitis, Phlegm nodules
-’causes sweat violently’; used for Fevers, especially Quartans.

3. Warms the Kidneys, Clears Wind-Damp, Relieves Pain:
-Arthritic and Rheumatic complaints
-Sciatica, Lumbago, Sciatica
-Aphrodisiac

4. Warms the Stomach, Promotes Digestion:
-poor digestion, abdominal pain or distention
    
5. Moves the Qi and Blood, Promotes Menstruation:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea.
   
6. Externally:
-applied to Toothache (tincture), or the root chewed. The tincture or alcoholic extract is applied directly to caries.
-powdered root is a good snuff for chronic Catarrh, or to clear Phlegm from the head; it promotes sneezing
-held in the mouth for loss of the sensation of taste (Unani)
-as a poultice to clears Bruises


DOSE:
Of the Powder: 1–2 grams (1 scruple–½ dram)
Given with Honey for Epilepsy

SUBSTITUTES:
1. Valerian or Indian Spikenard
2. Orris (when used for the Lungs)
3. Ginger, Pepper root, White Behen (Unani)
4. Plumbago zeylanica, Inula helenium, Long and Black Pepper (Unani)

CORRECTIVES:
1. Tragacanth
2. Gum Arabic
3. Raisins

Main Combinations:
Cold, Phlegm, Damp:
1. Cold Phlegm of the Lungs and Stomach, Pyrethrum with Licorice, Mastic, Caraway, Fennel seed, Galangal, Cinnamon, Pepper, Cardamon (as in Powder of Anise Compound)
2. To promote Urine, Pyrethrum with Marjoram and Long Pepper
3. To clear the Throat in Hoarseness or Loss of Voice, Pyrethrum with Cumin seed roasted, Mustard seed, Black Pepper, Calamint (as in Electuary to Clarify the Voice)
4. Scrofula, Lymphatic swellings, Pyrethrum with Cuttlefish bone, Long Pepper, Black Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Galls, Sponge stone (as in Powder for Scrofula)

Brain:
5. Epilepsy, Apoplexy:
i. Pyrethrum taken with Aromaticum Rosatum and Diamoschu (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Pyrethrum powder confected with Diamoschu and Sugar dissolved in Lavender water (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
iii. Pyrethrum with Triphala, Black Myrobalan, Stoechas, Peony (as in Triphala Electuary for Epilepsy (Itrifal Zabeeb))
6. Poor memory from a Cold and Moist cause:
i. Pyrethrum, Calamus, Frankincense
ii. Pyrethrum, Ginger, Galangal decocted in wine and used as a gargle. (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)

Warm the Kidneys
7. Impotence, Pyrethrum with Withania, Asparagus root, Dodder, Nutmeg, Salep (Orchis), Saffron (Unani)
8. Aphrodisiac:
i. Pyrethrum with Long Pepper and Galangal (Culpeper)
ii. Pyrethrum with Nutmeg and Cannabis (Unani)
9. As a stimulant, Pyrethrum with Peppermint

Externally:
10. Sternutatory: Pyrethrum, Staphysacre seed, Ginger (1 dram each), Long Pepper (½ dram) (Memorial Pharmaceutique, 1824)
11. Masticatory. Pyrethrum, Mastic (equal parts)
12. Toothache:
i. chew Pyrethrum with Balm (Arnold de Villa Nova)
ii. decoct Pyrethrum in vinegar with Betony and Ground Ivy and use as a mouthwash (Arnold de Villa Nova)
iii. Digest Pyrethrum (1 oz.), in Spirit of Rosemary (½ pound); digest, filter.
iv. Pyrethrum (2 oz.), Spirit of Lavender (1 pound), Ammonium chloride (½ dram)
v. form a Tincture with Pyrethrum, Clove, Thyme, Camphor
vi. Pyrethrum decocted, with Vinegar and Black Pepper added, held in the mouth (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
vii. Pyrethrum, Camomile, Betony, Oregano, Orris, boiled in water and wine and held in the mouth (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
13. Tooth Powder, Pyrethrum with Coral, Mace, Mastic, Pumice, Red Earth
14. Ointment Against Lice: Pyrethrum, Mustard seed (2 oz.), Parsley seed (4 oz.), Lard (32 oz.), Anise oil (2 drams); powder the herbs, mix into the lard and add the oil. (Niemann)

Major Formulas:
Syrup of Stoechas (Judeus)
Powder Proven for Lung Defects and All Coughs (Galen)
Powder for Scrofula (Arnold de Villa Nova)
Powder to Strengthen the Teeth (Galen)
Powder of Anise Compound (Mesue)
Warming Pearl Powder (Diamargariton Calidum) (Avicenna)
Electuary to Clarify the Voice (Galen)
Extraordinary Confection for Epilepsy
Diacameron Minus (Nicholas)
Philonium Romanum Galenii
Philonium Persicum
Electuary of Pearl (Avicenna)
Triphala Electuary for Epilepsy (Itrifal Zabeeb)

1. Plaster of Pyrethrum;
i. Wax (3 oz.), Turpentine (1 oz., 2 ½ drams); melt slowly together, then add Sagapen, Galbanum, Gum Ammoniac (each 1 oz.); when half cold add the following in powder: Pyrethrum, Mustard seed (each 1 oz.). Resolve and stimulant, for hardness and tumors. (Niemann)

Cautions:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Very drying, not suitable for Heat or Yin deficiency.
3. Regarded as harmful for the Lungs in excess dose or prolonged use. (Unani)

Main Preparations used:

History
'The [?] of Dioscorides was an umbelliferous plant, the deter-mination of which must be left to conjecture. The pellitory of modern times was familiar to the Arabian writers on medicine, one of whom, Ibn Baytar, describes it very correctly from specimens gathered by himself near the city of Constantino in Algeria. The plant, says he, called by the Berbers sandasab, is found nowhere but in Western Africa, from which region it is carried to other countries.
Pellitory root is a favourite remedy in the East, and has long been an article of export by way of Egypt to India. An Arabic name for it is Aaqarqarha or Akulkara, a word which, under slight variations, is found in the principal languages of India. In Germany, pellitory was known as early as the 12th century; it is named in the oldest printed works on materia medica. In the 13th century "pellitory of Spain" (Pelydr ysbain) was a proved "remedy for the toothache" with the Welsh physicians. (Pharmacographia, Fluckiger & Hanbury, 1879)