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Rasayan
In early ayurvedic medicine, ''rasāyana'' (Pali and Sanskrit: रसायन, "path of essence") is one of the eight areas of medicine in Sanskrit literature. The 11th-century Persian scholar Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī noted an Indian science named ''Rasāyana'', focused on restoring health and rejuvenation through plant-derived medicines. Nagarjunacharya conducted experiments in his laboratory called "Rasashala" and authored ''Rasaratanakaram'', detailing alchemical transformations of metals. Al-Bīrūnī conflated the earlier rasāyana practices with rasaśāstra alchemy. Rasaśāstra utilized alchemical processes involving substances like mercury and cinnabar. This practice extended beyond metals, incorporating the preparation of medical tinctures from plants. Rasaśāstra's goals included longevity, health, cognitive enhancement, virility, and extraordinary abilities. Its historical influence was evident in the Ajanta and Ellora cave paintings, the Vishnustambha monument, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alchemy
Alchemy (from the Arabic word , ) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe. In its Western form, alchemy is first attested in a number of pseudepigraphical texts written in Greco-Roman Egypt during the first few centuries AD.. Greek-speaking alchemists often referred to their craft as "the Art" (τέχνη) or "Knowledge" (ἐπιστήμη), and it was often characterised as mystic (μυστική), sacred (ἱɛρά), or divine (θɛíα). Alchemists attempted to purify, mature, and perfect certain materials. Common aims were chrysopoeia, the transmutation of " base metals" (e.g., lead) into "noble metals" (particularly gold); the creation of an elixir of immortality; and the creation of panaceas able to cure any disease. The perfection of the human body and soul was thought to result from the alchemical ''magnum opus'' ("Great Work"). The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shilajit
Shilajit (; , 'conqueror of the rocks'), salajeet (), mumijo or mumlayi or mumie is an organic-mineral product of predominantly biological origin, formed at high altitudes of stony mountains, in sheltered crevices and caves. A blackish-brown powder or an exudate emerging between high mountain rocks, often found in the Himalayas, the Pamir Mountains, Afghanistan, (primarily in Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan), Karakoram, India, Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, the Caucasus Mountains within southern Russia, Altai Mountains, Altai, Central Asia, Iran and Mongolia. The peoples of the East used shilajit in folk and non-traditional (alternative) medicine (Ayurveda, Chinese, Tibetan). Shilajit is sold both in dry extract form and in dietary supplements, but there is limited evidence that shilajit has any beneficial effects on human health. It has been found in studies to contain hazardous heavy metals, including lead. History Since ancient times, shilajit has been a folk med ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alchemy And Chemistry In Medieval Islam
Alchemy in the medieval Islamic world refers to both traditional alchemy and early practical chemistry (the early chemical investigation of nature in general) by Science in medieval Islam, Muslim scholars in the medieval Islamic world. The word ''alchemy'' was derived from the Arabic word (), which itself Chemistry (etymology), may derive either from the Egyptian language, Egyptian word ''kemi'' ('black') or from the Ancient Greek, Greek word ('fusion').. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the Islamic conquest of Roman Egypt, the focus of alchemical development moved to the Caliphate and the Islamic Golden Age, Islamic civilization. Definition and relationship with medieval western sciences In considering Islamic sciences as a distinct, local practice, it is important to define words such as "Arabic", "Islamic", "alchemy", and "chemistry" in order to gain an understanding of what these terms mean historically. This may also help to clear up any misconception ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terminalia (plant)
''Terminalia'' is a genus of large trees of the flowering plant family Combretaceae, comprising nearly 300 species distributed in Tropics, tropical regions of the world. The genus name derives from the Latin word ''terminus'', referring to the fact that the leaves appear at the very tips of the shoots. Terminalia latifolia, Axlewood (''T. latifolia'') is used for its wood and tannins and as a fodder. Terminalia leiocarpa, African birch (''T. leiocarpa'') is used for its wood and to make yellow dye and medicinal compounds. A yellow dyestuff produced from the leaves of ''T. leiocarpa'' has traditionally been used in West Africa to dye leather. Selected species There are 278 accepted ''Terminalia'' species as of July 2024 according to Plants of the World Online. Selected species include: *''Terminalia acuminata'' (Fr. Allem.) Eichl. *''Terminalia albida'' Scott-Elliot *''Terminalia amazonia'' (J.F.Gmel.) Exell – white olive *''Terminalia anogeissiana'' – axlew ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vitamin C
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits, berries and vegetables. It is also a generic prescription medication and in some countries is sold as a non-prescription dietary supplement. As a therapy, it is used to prevent and treat scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient involved in the repair of tissue, the formation of collagen, and the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters. It is required for the functioning of several enzymes and is important for immune system function. It also functions as an antioxidant. Vitamin C may be taken by mouth or by intramuscular, subcutaneous or intravenous injection. Various health claims exist on the basis that moderate vitamin C deficiency increases disease risk, such as for the common cold, cancer or COVID-19. There are also claims of benefits from vitamin C supplementation in excess of the recommended d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emblica Officinalis
''Phyllanthus emblica'', also known as emblic, emblic myrobalan, myrobalan, nelikai, Indian gooseberry, Malacca tree, amloki or amla, is a deciduous tree of the family Phyllanthaceae. Its native range is tropical and southern Asia. Description The tree is small to medium in size, reaching in height. The bark is mottled. The branchlets are finely pubescent (not glabrous), long, usually deciduous. The leaves are simple, subsessile and closely set along branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves. The flowers are greenish–yellow. The fruit is nearly spherical, light greenish–yellow, quite smooth and hard on appearance, with six vertical stripes or furrows. The fruit is up to in diameter, and, while the fruit of wild plants weigh approximately , cultivated fruits average to . Chemical constituents The fruits contain high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and have a bitter taste that may derive from a high density of ellagitannins, such as emblicanin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shatavari
''Asparagus racemosus'' (satavar, shatavari, or shatamull, shatawari) is a species of asparagus native from Africa through southern Asia, including the Indian subcontinent, to northern Australia. It grows tall and prefers to take root in gravelly, rocky soils high up in piedmont plains, at elevation. It was botanically described in 1799. Because of its multiple uses, the demand for ''Asparagus racemosus'' is constantly on the rise. Due to destructive harvesting, combined with habitat destruction, and deforestation, the plant is now considered "endangered" in its natural habitat. Description ''Asparagus racemosus'' is a climber having stems up to 4 m long. Its roots are both fibrous and tuberous. Shatavari has small pine-needle-like phylloclades (photosynthetic branches) that are uniform and shiny green. In July, it produces minute, white flowers on short, spiky stems, and in September it fruits, producing blackish-purple, globular berries. It has an adventitious root syste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guduchi
''Tinospora cordifolia'', the heart-leaved moonseed, is a herbaceous vine of the family Menispermaceae native to South and Southeast Asia. It has been used in Ayurveda in an attempt to treat various disorders. There is no good evidence ''Tinospora cordifolia'' is of benefit as a medicine and its use can lead to potentially fatall herb-induced liver injury. Botanical description It is a large, deciduous, extensively-spreading, climbing vine with several elongated twining branches. Leaves are simple, alternate, and exstipulate with long petioles up to long which are roundish and pulvinate, both at the base and apex with the basal one longer and twisted partially and half way around. It gets its name ''heart-leaved moonseed'' by its heart-shaped leaves and its reddish fruit. Lamina are broadly ovate or ovate cordate, long or broad, seven nerved and deeply cordate at base, membranous, pubescent above, whitish tomentose with a prominent reticulum beneath. Flowers are unisexual, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Holy Basil
''Ocimum tenuiflorum'', commonly known as holy basil, ''tulasi'' or ''tulsi'' (), is an aromatic perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is widely cultivated throughout the Southeast Asian tropics. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Australia and the western Pacific. This plant has escaped from cultivation and has naturalized in many tropical regions of the Americas. It is an agricultural and environmental weed. ''Tulasi'' is cultivated for religious and traditional medicine purposes, and also for its essential oil. It is widely used as an herbal tea, commonly used in Ayurveda. It has a place within the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism, in which devotees perform worship involving the plant or its leaves. Morphology Holy basil is an erect, many-branched subshrub, tall with hairy stems. Leaves are green or purple; they are simple, petioled, with an ovate blade up to long, which usually has a slightly toothed margin; they are strongly scented and h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashwaganda
''Withania somnifera'', known commonly as ashwagandha, is an evergreen shrub in the Solanaceae family that is native to the Middle East and North Africa, other African regions, southern Europe, and Indian subcontinent. Several other species in the genus ''Withania'' are morphologically similar. Common names include Indian ginseng and winter cherry. ''W. somnifera'' is a short shrub 35–75 cm tall with tomentose branches, dull green elliptic leaves up to 10–12 cm long, small green bell-shaped flowers, and orange-red ripe fruit. The Latin species name ''somnifera'' means “ sleep-inducing,” while the name ashwagandha combines the Sanskrit words for “horse” and “smell,” referring to the root’s strong horse-like odor. It is cultivated mainly in dry regions of India and nearby countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, and Yemen, preferring dry, stony soil with sun to partial shade, and is propagated from seeds in early spring or greenwood cuttings later. It is affect ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phyllanthus Emblica
''Phyllanthus emblica'', also known as emblic, emblic myrobalan, myrobalan, nelikai, Indian gooseberry, Malacca tree, amloki or amla, is a deciduous tree of the family Phyllanthaceae. Its native range is tropical and southern Asia. Description The tree is small to medium in size, reaching in height. The bark is mottled. The branchlets are finely pubescent (not glabrous), long, usually deciduous. The leaves are simple, subsessile and closely set along branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves. The flowers are greenish–yellow. The fruit is nearly spherical, light greenish–yellow, quite smooth and hard on appearance, with six vertical stripes or furrows. The fruit is up to in diameter, and, while the fruit of wild plants weigh approximately , cultivated fruits average to . Chemical constituents The fruits contain high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and have a bitter taste that may derive from a high density of ellagitannins, such as emblicanin A (3 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
