Abstract

PARSIK YAVANI (HYOSCYAMUS NIGER): A REVIEW

Mahtab Alam* and Pankaj Kumar

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Abstract

Poison is a substance, which may be liquid, solid or gas, which when administered or brought into contact with any part of it, leads to injury to health or destruction of life by its action. If a particular dose of substances produces a beneficial effect, but the same dose also produces a severe toxic effect, called poison. Poison has a low therapeutic index. In Ayurveda, poison are two types: Visha and Upvisha, in which Visha is fatal and Upvisha is a less virulent poison. In Rasendra sangraha, upvisha are numbered as seven and eleven in Rasa Tarangini. Parsik yavani (Hyoscyamus niger) is one of them. Hyoscyamus niger commonly known as Parsik yavani is considered as poisonous plant and classified under Upvisha (Less virulent poison). According to the Drugs and cosmetics act, of 1940, Hyoscyamus niger comes under “Schedule E and Schedule E (1): Poisonous Substance under Ayush System. In Shodhal Nighantu, Parsik yavani is indicated in Koshtha shool (Abdominal pain), gulm, dipan and pachana etc. Because it is a poison, so, it causes vomiting, urinary retention, tachycardia, pyrexia, drowsiness, slurred speech etc., so it should be used very carefully. Parsik yavani also have medicinal properties and it is used as jantunashana (Anthelminthic and antiparasitic) and krimishulnuta (Abdominal pain due to parasitic infection). Parsik yavani are found in many Ayurvedic formulations.

Keywords: Hyoscyamus niger, Parsik yavani, Upvisha, Kriminashana.