Medicine Traditions
  • Home
  • About
  • Resources
    • Brief Overview of Traditional Medicine
    • Timeline
    • Authors and Sources
    • Glossaries
    • Articles on Traditional Medicine
    • Photos
    • Medicine Pictures
    • Substitute Medicines
  • Theory
  • Materia Medica
    • Ayurvedic Materia Medica
    • Chinese Materia Medica
    • Tibetan Materia Medica
    • Unani Materia Medica
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine FREE
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine PRO
    • Mineral Materia Medica
    • Animal Materia Medica
    • Chinese Classification
    • Western Classification
    • Humoral Medicine
    • Herbal Combinations
  • Formulas
  • Treatment
    • Types of Treatment in Traditional Medicine
    • Treatment of Specific Conditions
    • Diseases and Formulas
  • Patient Resources
  • Links & Texts
  • Contact Us
  • Store
  • Blog

Scorzonera

Garden or Spansih Scorzonera; Viper's Grass
Picture
New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

Picture
Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1804


Botanical name:
Scorzonera hispanica
S. humilis (S. latifolia), Serpentaria, is also used but is more bitter and therefore, probably less tonifying.
Spanish (most common), German, Narrow-leaved and Low types were recognised.

Parts used:
Root
It rasped into long strips and dried for commerce.
Best roots are yellow-red externally and white internally; typically Black externally, white internally.

Temperature & Taste:
Neutral (slightly Warm), moist. Sweet

Classifications:
3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS
4c. CARDIAC.    4f. SPLENETIC
Exhilaratives.    Tonics

Uses:
1. Tonifies Qi, Benefits the Spleen, Clears Damp:
-strengthening, good for Cachexia, weakness, convalescence, consumption
-‘they exhilarate the Heart and remove Sorrow and Melancholy’. (Salmon)
-Edema
-The candied root is most tonifying

2. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison:
-Alexipharmic, strongly prevails against Poison, Plague and all types of Infectious diseases
-Fevers (Tertian and Quartan), Syphilis etc.
-venomous Bites, especially the bitings of Vipers

The unprepared root in decoction is best in Fever.

3. Stops Wind, Calms Spasms:
-Epilepsy, Apoplexy, Convulsion, Vertigo, Migraine with deficiency

-suffocation of the Womb

4. Externally:
-the essence or distilled water dropped into the eyes clears the sight



PREPARATION:
The candied (preserved) roots are more tonifying in weakness and restorative in consumption.

DOSE:
In Powder: 1–4 grams
In Decoction: 3–9 grams

SUBSTITUTE:
Oenothera biennis has been used as a substitute in Europe

Main Combinations:
1. Anxiety and Palpitations, Restlessness, Insomnia, Melancholy, Scorzonera with Borage, Chicory, Licorice, Rose, Violet
2. Melancholy, Scorzonera with Balm and St. John's wort
3. Epidemic diseases, spotted Fever:
i. Scorzonera with Angelica, Tormentil Calamus, Red Earth (as in Orvietan Antidote)
ii. to prevent and treat Epidemic diseases: Scorzonera with Celandine, Dittany, Zedoary, Angelica, Gentian, Tormentil, Elecampane (as in Bezoardic Vinegar of Frankfurt)
4. Fever:
i. Scorzonera with Lemon seed, decoct, then infuse Cinchona, Contrayerva, strain and add Honey of Elder. (Spanish Pharmacopoeia)
ii. to the above can be added Senna, and Syrup of Pale Rose to make it more purgative.
5. Nephritis: China root, Scorzonera, Marshmallow, Licorice, Aniseed (½ oz.), Agrimony, Ground Ivy, Scordium, Nettle (1 handful), Figs (6), Raisins (1 oz.), St. Johns wort, Elder flower (1 pugil); form a Decoction. (Gazophylacium Medico-Physicum, Woyts, 1746)
6. Paralysis, Scorzonera with Galangal, Aloeswood, Clove, Juniper berry, Cinnamon, Sage, Rosemary
7. Weakness of the Heart, Lung and Stomach, Scorzonera with Bugloss root-bark, Balm, Borage, Rosemary, Fennel seed, Blessed Thistle seed, Basil seed (as in Syrup of Balm)
8. For Ptisan (nourishing Decoction), Scorzonera with Barley and Couch Grass root. (Fulder)
9. As a Kidney and Digestive (Qi) tonic, Scorzonera with Sea Holly, Elecampane, Salep (Orchis), Parsnip

Major Formula
Cordial Decoction
Syrup of Balm
Orvietan Antidote


Cautions:
None noted

Main Preparations used:
Distilled Water of the Roots, Extract, and the Candied Root were often used

1. Extract of Scorzonera:
i. Scorzonera root (1 lb.), Water (6 lbs). Macerate for 4 days in a warm place, boil a little, express then evaporate.

Home
ABOUT
RESOURCES

materia medica – FREE
Materia Medica – PRO
Classifications


Diseases & Formulas
Links & Texts
Patient Resources

Shop
Texts for Sale
Contact us

TERMS OF USE

PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright © 2015–2020
  • Home
  • About
  • Resources
    • Brief Overview of Traditional Medicine
    • Timeline
    • Authors and Sources
    • Glossaries
    • Articles on Traditional Medicine
    • Photos
    • Medicine Pictures
    • Substitute Medicines
  • Theory
  • Materia Medica
    • Ayurvedic Materia Medica
    • Chinese Materia Medica
    • Tibetan Materia Medica
    • Unani Materia Medica
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine FREE
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine PRO
    • Mineral Materia Medica
    • Animal Materia Medica
    • Chinese Classification
    • Western Classification
    • Humoral Medicine
    • Herbal Combinations
  • Formulas
  • Treatment
    • Types of Treatment in Traditional Medicine
    • Treatment of Specific Conditions
    • Diseases and Formulas
  • Patient Resources
  • Links & Texts
  • Contact Us
  • Store
  • Blog