Witnessed by: Western · Unani
Galbanum (Ferula galbaniflua), of the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family. Stout resiniferous perennial umbellifer; native range: the mountains of Persia (Iran) and the Levant. Globally recognized as jawashir / birzad in Hindi, qinna (قنة) in Arabic, and galbanum gum, mother-resin in English. The part used is oleo-gum-resin from the stem and root. Soft, tenacious, waxy tears of greenish-brown to amber that soften in the hand; smell balsamic and green-musky, taste bitter, acrid and warm.
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.
GALBANUM
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Galbanum
- Scientific name
- Ferula galbaniflua Boiss. & Buhse
- Family
- Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
Form
- Part used
- oleo-gum-resin from the stem and root
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Western
- bitter · acrid · aromatic
- Unani
- bitter · acrid
Temperature
Western: hot
Unani: hot
convergence: both {witness_count} witnesses reckon it a hot, dry, driving resin
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- nerves · lungs · uterus
- Unani
- nerves · lungs · uterus · stomach
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Western
- antispasmodic, expectorant, carminative, stimulant and resolvent; emmenagogue
- Unani
- muhallil (resolvent), kaasir-e-riyah (carminative), mundij (concoctive), muharrik-e-asab (nerve stimulant) and mudir-e-haiz (emmenagogue)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- hot and bilious constitutions, pregnancy (emmenagogue)
- Toxicity
- large doses irritate the stomach and urinary passages
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