Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Unani
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), of the Poaceae (Gramineae) family. Low creeping perennial grass rooting at the nodes; native range: warm regions of the Old World; a ubiquitous creeping grass of India and the Middle East. Globally recognized as durva / shatavalli in Sanskrit, dub / durva in Hindi, thil / najil in Arabic, and dog's-tooth grass, dhoob grass in English. The part used is whole plant, chiefly the fresh juice. Fine wiry green blades, faintly sweet and cool, yielding a grassy astringent juice.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
BERMUDA GRASS
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Bermuda grass
- Scientific name
- Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.
- Family
- Poaceae (Gramineae)
Form
- Part used
- whole plant, chiefly the fresh juice
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- astringent · sweet
- Unani
- astringent
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling
- Unani
- cold & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Unani
- blood · kidneys · bladder
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- raktastambhaka (haemostatic), pittashamaka, ropana (wound-healing), mutrala (diuretic), jvarahara (antipyretic)
- Unani
- habis-ud-dam (haemostatic), mubarrid (refrigerant), mudir-e-baul (diuretic), qabid (astringent)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- generally very safe; avoid large doses in severe kapha-cold conditions
- Toxicity
- none of note
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