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9e

Dosage
Mix a tablespoon of herbs with three glasses of water, bring
it to the boil and then let it simmer gently until one-third
of the liquid is remaining. The decoction is strained through
a cheese cloth or a tea strainer and allowed to cool a little.
When it is warm it can be drunk at the times instructed by
the physician.
178 Principles of tibetan medicine
2. Powder
When a decoction is not strong enough, medicine in powder
form is used. In the Tibetan medical texts 170 different
kinds of powder medicines are listed; powder medicine is
often made into pill form. Here I will give two examples
of powder medicine, along with their composition, use and
action.
Se-dru 5
-- Composition Punica granatum, Cinnamomum
cassia, Piper longum, Elettaria cardamomum and
Cassia Fistula.
-- Use and action improves digestion and blood
circulation, reduces flatulence, relieves kidneys
and back pain.
Ru-rta 6
-- Composition Saussurea lappa, Emblica
officinalis, Punica granatum, Adhatoda vasica,
Elettaria cardamomum and Piper longum.
-- Use and action treats stomach pain due to
acidity and heart burn, relieves flatulence and
stops vomiting.
Dosage
Four grams taken in the morning on an empty stomach with
warm water.
3. Pills
Pill medicines are prepared through grinding all the
ingredients into a fine powder; water is added for binding,
the mixture is rolled into pills which can be as small as a
baby pea or as large as a cherry, the pills are then are dried
Treatment Techniques: Part II 179
thoroughly. Tibetan medicinal pills can contain as little as
five ingredients or as many as 157.
The effect of medicine in the form of pills is slow acting
and gentle, it will take a minimum of 24 hours for the
first effects of the medicine to show. The pills are mainly
prescribed for chronic diseases which have developed slowly
in our body over a long period of time before they become

manifest.
Therefore the course of treatment will often be a long
one as the medicine has to go through the tiny capillaries in
our body before it can work. These days the majority of the
patients who come to see me suffer from chronic problems
and diseases. In the Tibetan medical texts 22 different types
of pills are mentioned and here I will describe four of them,
along with their composition, use and action.
sPang-rgyan 15
-- Composition Gentiana algida, Aquilaria
agollocha Choerospondia axillaries, Myristica
fragrans, Bambusa textiles, Solms-Laubachia
sp, Carthamus tinctorius, Terminalia chebula,
Terminalia belerica, Emblica officinalis,Tinospora
sinensis, Adhatoda vasica, Eugenia aromatica,
Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Santalum album.
-- Use and action an expectorant, a bronchodilator,
subsides coughs, treats breathlessness, hoarseness
and blood in the sputum.
Agar 8
-- Composition Tectona grandis linn, Myristica
fragrans, Choerospondia axillaris, Bambusa
textilis, Boswellia carterii, Saussurea lappa,
Terminalia chebula and Bombax ceibas flower.
180 Principles of tibetan medicine
-- Use and action treats mental unrest, insanity,
loss of speech, anxiety and panic attacks. It also
reduces hepatic and localised pain on the heart
due to tension.
sPos gkar 10
-- Composition Boswellia carterii, Cassia tora,
Cannabis sativa, Saussurea lappa, Adhatoda vasica,
Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belirica, Emblica
officinalis, Tinospora cordifolia and Shelajeet.
-- Use and action treats gout, arthritis and skin
disease.
lchum tsa 5
-- Composition Terminalia chebula, Rheum
palmatum, Inula racemosa, Piper longum and
Soda.
-- Use and action relieves constipation.

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