Datura: A Herb with lots of health benefits
Charaka Samhita mentions a mythological story – Gods and demons together churned the ocean to obtain nectar. Before the origin of nectar, a man with a terrible vision was born, that man was called poison. Seeing that man, the whole world became poisonous. Hence its name was poison. After some time, the same poison released into the ocean was recovered from the churning of the ocean. All the gods prayed to Ashutosh Shankar to drink that extreme poison. He accepted the prayer and drank extreme poison, that time a few drops of that poison fell on the ground due to which snakes, scorpions, and poisonous herbs were born,
Even though it is called Datura, one of the poisonous herbs, it also becomes beneficial due to the presence of Shiva Shekhar. Because poison destroys life but if it is used judiciously, it is beneficial for health. Therefore it is not right to ignore the Datura plant.
Its description is found in the Guduchvayadi section of Bhavprakash Nighantu. In Dravyagun Vigyan written by Acharya Priyavrat Sharma, it has been mentioned under the medicines that relieve colic.
Specific:
The indication of Datura is found in Ayurvedic codes. But its special importance and recognition are shown in Rasa texts.
In Sushruta Samhita, it is described as Unmat, and in Ashtanga Hridaya it is described as Datura. Four types of Datura have been mentioned in Rajnighantu and Shaligram. White, black, blue and yellow. There is no mention of its types in Bhavprakash Nighantu.
Sanskrit & Botanical Name:
Sanskrit Name: Dhattur, Dhuttur, Dhurt, Unmatt, Matul, Kanak, Harpriya, Shiv shekhar
Latin or Botanical Name: Datura (Datura stramonium)
Place of Origin
It is found everywhere in India. It is found growing in forests and on the banks of fields.
Chemical Composition:
Hyoscyamine, Scopolamine, Atropine, and Tropine substances are found in Daturin alkali in the leaves of Black Datura and its other species.
Names in other languages
1. Hindi: धतूरा (Dhatura)
2. Bengali: ধোতরা (Dhotora)
3. Telugu: ఉమ్మెతా (Ummeta)
4. Tamil: உம்மத்தா (Ummatha)
5. Kannada: ಊಂತ (Oomma)
6. Malayalam: ഊമ്പ (Oompa)
7. Gujarati: ધતૂરા (Dhatura)
8. Marathi: धतूरा (Dhatura)
9. Punjabi: ਧਾਤੂਰਾ (Dhatura)
10. Odia: ଧତୁରା (Dhatura)
International Names:
- English: Jimson weed, Devil’s snare, Thorn apple
- Spanish: Estramonio
- French: Stramoine, Datura
- German: Stechapfel, Gemeiner Stechapfel
- Italian: Stramonio, Datura
- Portuguese: Trombeteira, Estramónio
- Russian: Дурман обыкновенный (Durman obyknovennyy)
- Chinese (Mandarin): 曼陀罗 (Màntuóluó)
- Japanese: ジムソンウィード (Jimuson uīdo)
Five types of Datura
1. Black dhattura (datura stramonium)
2. Black Dhattura (datura tatula)
3. Dwigun Dhattura (datura fastuosa)
4. White Dhattura (datura alba)
5. Ghusrabh harit Dhattura (datura melal)
Black Datura has been described here.
Plant Description
Datura plants are 3 to 5 feet high and reticulated. The branches are purple or black. The leaves are 3 to 6 inches long. The fruits are round and with small thorns. Datura plants germinate in the spring season, they bloom and bear fruit in March-April month and in the month of May-June, their fruits burst after ripening and their seeds scatter below.
- Rasa- short, dry, developing
- Qualities – Bitter, bitter, bitter
- Semen – hot
- Vipaak – bitter
- effect-narcotic
- Dosha karma-phlegm suppressor
Useful Parts
Roots, Leaves, Flowers, and Seeds
Quantity for Consumption
Treated seeds powder 60 mg to 120 mg, Roots and leaves powder (for internal use) 60 mg to 200 mg, Roots & leaves powder (for smoking) 500 mg to 2 grams.
Shelf life
Leaf Powder – one year, Purified Seeds – 2 years
Seed Purification
We can directly use Datura seeds from the plant. We have to do some process to purify the seeds. Ayurveda books have remedies to purify it.
- Tie the seeds in a bundle and soak them in cow’s milk for five to six hours with a dola machine, then take them out, wash them with hot water, let them dry, and crush them, you will get pure Dhatura seeds.
- Cook Dhatura seeds in cow urine in a Dola Machine and keep them in sunlight to dry.
- How to store: Keep ripe fruits and leaves in the shade and let them dry. Once they are dried keep in a cool and dry container. Datura seeds are flat in shape, brown in color, and bitter in taste. The seed coat is hard which protects the seed. The seed coat and kernel will separate by breaking the seed.
Datura's Uses in different diseases
Dhatura seeds relieve many pains in the body. It is used as paste and oil in rheumatic diseases. It is the best medicine for respiratory diseases. Datura is used in many medicines for respiratory diseases. It is also given as a medicine for kidney stones and bed-wetting patients. It is used externally as a medicine for diseases like conjunctivitis, colic, tumour, swelling of lymph glands, tooth worms, rheumatism, breast swelling, etc.
Datura: External use to cure diseases
- Ovulation – Heating some Dhatura leaves and tying them is beneficial. This is the best solution to reduce any other personal inflammation.
- Ulcerative inflammation – Grind Datura root or Datura leaves thoroughly with water, heat it, and apply this mixture to a cloth. and apply this cloth to the affected area. It reduces ulcerations. Sendhav Namak can also be added to it.
- Conjunctivitis – Mix Rasont(genus Berberis L.) and Opium in the clean juice of Datura leaves and put it in the eyes to get relief.
- Earache – Put warm fresh juice of Datura leaves in the ear.
- Inflammation:
1. To soothe any pain caused by external inflammation, grind Datura leaves or opium with water and apply it to the inflammation area, inflammation will cure immediately.
2. Add Guggulu to the leaves, heat it, and apply it.
3. Grind Datura root in cow urine and apply it.
4. Apply Shilajit paste on the Datur leaf and tie it to the swelling. Before this, make sure to shave your hair.
- Shlipad (Filariasis)- Grind equal parts of Datura leaves, castor root bark, Nirgundi, punarnava, drumstick bark, and mustard and apply it, filariasis will be cured.
- Dog bite
- Grind Datura seeds, peel them with amaranth root juice or honey, and apply.
- Grind red chili with Dhatura leaves juice and apply it on the bitten area.
Abscess -Apply some oil or ghee on the Datura leaf, roast it on fire, and tie it, the abscess gets purified and cured.
Tonsil – Make a paste of 3 grams of Dhatur seeds, 1.5 grams of hemp seeds, and 3 grams of rock salt, heat it, and tie it around the neck.
Rheumatism – Fill 100-100 mg juice of Dhatur, Aak, and Castor leaves in a glass vessel and bury it in the ground for eight days. Then take it out and massage this juice, rheumatism will be cured.
Sciatica– Heat Dhatura leaves and tied on the feet, sole side. It will cure sciatica.
Indralupta – Rub leaves juice on the head.
Migraine – Take all equal parts of datura seeds, black pepper, camphor, opium, and soybean, and make powder in goat’s milk. Make a thick paste of it and apply it repeatedly on half of the head, the dreaded Migraine pain gets destroyed quickly.
Vaginismus – Grind 2-3 leaves of Datura finely, add rock salt and ghee, put it in a cloth, make a poultice and keep it in the vagina helps in eliminating all types of vaginismus.
Snaayuka disease (Parasitic infection of guinea worm)
- Mix Dhatur leaves and rice flour and apply a poultice on it to help heal the nerves quickly.
- Add Datura seeds, SarjRas, and wax into Ghee and grind well then apply this mixture on the affected area, and massage well. All worms will come out.
- Sagging Breasts – Apply oil on Dhatura leaf, heat it, and tie it tightly it will firm breasts. Due to this, breast milk also dries up. When there is a need to dry breast milk, then you can tie.
- Scar – After the wound heals, a scar remains. To remove it, Dhatur juice should be applied. This juice can also be applied by mixing it with Vaseline.
- Arthritis –
- In the case of rheumatic diseases, when the arthritis is attacked by colic, then apply castor oil on the Datur leaf tie it to the joints, and apply a hot salt poultice on it.
- Grind Punarnava root and opium in Datura leaves juice and apply it. This is also beneficial.
- Scorpion bite– Rub Datura leaves or paste of leaves on the bitten area, will cure it and the bite pain will be relieved.
Leprosy:
- Take equal parts of datura seed powder, mercury, sulfur, and mica ash, mix it in four times the amount of mustard oil, make an ointment, and apply it to leprosy.
- Take Dhatura root powder and sulfur in equal quantities, mix it in lemon juice, and apply the paste to cure Leprosy.
- Grind datura seeds and rock grass to make a paste, take four times the amount of paste with water and equal part mustard oil, and cook it till the water completely burns. Apply this paste along with oil to cure leprosy.
Mediterranean use
Respiratory disease
- Grind the dhatura leaves without water spread it on a blank paper and let it dry. When it dries, fold the paper and make a cigarette. By smoking it the accumulated phlegm comes out. And the breathing attack calms down. Heart patients should not smoke.
- Take 2 parts of dried Dhatura leaves, fennel powder, and Kalmi Shora, one part each, grind them and make a powder. Make a cigarette of this powder smoke it. This also provides relief to the breathing patient. If any disease does not seem to benefit from it, then stop this experiment further. A patient whose face is swollen should also not use this.
- Take fine powder of Dhatur Panchag, (All Parts of Dhatura) soak it in Kalmi Sora water and let it dry. Or keep some Vasa (Adusa) leaves mixed in it. Fill 500-750 mg of powder in paper like a beedi (small-size cigarette) and smoke it, phlegm comes out and respiratory attacks will be cured.
- Dhatura leaves, carom seeds, and flaxseeds can also be smoked by placing them in a pipe.
- Smoking one part of fennel and myrrh (Loban) and two parts of Dhatura leaves is also beneficial.
Cough
Take small Peepal seeds like pure seeds, grind both of them into a fine powder, mix Babul Gum (acacia nilotica gum) extract in it, grind it, and make mustard-size tablets. Take one pill in the morning and evening.
Epilepsy
- Take saffron and sugar candy along with the dhatura seeds, grind them very finely, and blow them in the nose during seizures; it helps in getting rid of fainting.
- This disease can also be cured by mixing the seeds in an appropriate quantity of Pittapapada juice and drinking it.
- Grind equal parts of dhatura seeds and black pepper into fine powder, mix it with water, and make a tablet of 125 mg. Consuming one or two tablets with 25 grams of butter in the morning and evening for 7 days helps to calm down the mania caused by drug addiction, postpartum mania, and mania caused by mental trauma. Epilepsy can also be cured.
Diabetes
Take the tablets made from the combination of seeds and black pepper with fennel extract.
Swapndosh (Nocturnal emission)
After giving seven feelings of poppy water to the seeds, dry them. Mix cottonseed kernel, white cumin, and coriander equal to dhatura seeds and grind them. Then grind with the Triphala decoction finely and make 125 mg tablets. let these pills dry. Take one or two tablets with water at bedtime. Take it with milk in case of premature ejaculation.
Syphilis
Dry the roots of Dhatura in the shade and make fine powder, and take 60 mg powder in betel leaf is beneficial in syphilis.
Dog Poison
- Take equal parts of dhatura leaves, extract leaves, and sugar candy mix the extracted leaves in juice, and make a tablet. The tablet should be of 125 mg. Give one tablet with water in the morning on an empty stomach. Drink less water and do not eat anything. There is a possibility of vomiting due to eating. Give these pills for 10-20 days.
- Take equal parts of dhatura leaves, extract leaves, and sugar candy mix the extracted leaves in juice, and make a tablet. The tablet should be of 125 mg. Give one tablet with water in the morning on an empty stomach. Drink less water and do not eat anything. There is a possibility of vomiting due to eating. Give these pills for 10-20 days.
- Mix Dhatur Patra powder with Kath Gular powder and consume it with rice water, to remove the effect of dog poison.
- Mix Aak milk and jaggery in Dhutar Patra Swaras and consume it in proper quantity also destroys the effect of dog poison.
- Take Dhatura root and Mustard root in equal parts, grind them together with rice water, and make a ball. Wrap Dhatura leaves on this ball and cooks it in cow dung fire. When cooked, take out the inner ball and drink its juice.
- Mix Patra Swaras and Dhatur 3 grams each, jaggery 6 grams, milk 100ml, and drink it twice a day.
Malaria
- Wrap two and a half pieces of dhatura leaves in Jaggery, make a pill, and feed it. This will cure fever.
- Cut one of its leaves into 2-inch squares, place it in betel leaf, and feed it to the patient. This is a cure for malaria fever. But do not eat anything until the time of fever is over. If possible, stick to tea that day.
- Crush 20 ml of its leaves thoroughly make a fine paste of leaves, and make 60 mg tablets of this paste. Take 2 tablets with water 2 hours before the onset of fever.
- Mix 20 grams of Dhatura leaves with black pepper powder, 80 grams of katira gum (tragacanth Gum), and water and make 100 mg tablets give one tablet 2-3 times a day to destroy old malarial.
- Grind its leaves and desi Bangla paan 20 grams each, small Pipalli 10 grams and make 125 mg tablets and give one tablet with water at an interval of one and a half hours, 6 hours before the onset of fever. It cures malaria.
Colic - Diarrhea - Premature Ejaculation
- To relieve colic caused by gallstones or pain due to urinary stones, use it along with opium or, where giving opium is not appropriate, use Khurasani carom (Hyoscyamus Niger) seeds.
- Mix 20 to 25 grams of Datura leaves juice in curd and drink, it provides relief in dysentery and diarrhea.
- Take pure dhatur seeds, akarkara (Anacyclus pyrethrum), and cloves in equal parts and grind them in a mortar (Kharal) and make pills like green gram. Consuming one or two tablets with milk helps in curing premature ejaculation and increases the potency of the testicles.
- Make curd of 50 grams of pure dhatura seeds in 10 liters of milk. Then prepare the ghee. (clarified butter) Consume it with 100-200 mg milk and also apply it to the penis. This remedy is beneficial in impotence.
- Take the cumin seeds of the Dhatura flowers, dry them in the shade, and take 60 mg of it. Have this with water, or milk or keep them in pudding an hour before intercourse, giving immense erection.
Infertility - Catarrh - Hiccup - Piles - Over Sweating - Gonorrhea
- Women who are unable to conceive, first cure the menstrual disorders with proper treatment by taking 120 mg powder of dry Dhatura flowers, mixing it with milk and honey (uneven), and giving it for seven days after the menstrual bath.
- Boil 50 grams of Dhatura root extract in half a liter of water. When a quarter water is left, filter it and prepare sherbet syrup by adding half a kilo of sugar. Consume 5 ml of this sherbet mixed with hot water, it is beneficial in catarrh and especially in breathing problems caused by catarrh.
- Grind Dhatura panchang (All parts of Dhatura) and make a kalk (paste), add 20 grams each of regular carom seeds and black salt, put them in a pot, and put the pot into 10 kilos of cow dung cakes in the fire. When it is done let it cool down, take out the ashes from the pot, and place them in betel leaf in the amount of 60 mg helps in reducing Hiccups. It is also beneficial in cough-related breathing problems.
- Take its ripe fruit along with small peepal, myrobalan (Haritki), Sugandhbala, and jaggery in equal parts and mix it into powder. Consuming one gram of sugar candy mixed with honey and sugar every night is beneficial in Piles.
- Making a paste of Dhatura seeds and consuming it in 1-1 gram for seven days helps excessive sweating in the hands and feet.
- Drinking the juice of leaves mixed with ghee milk provides relief from gonorrhea.