Witnessed by: TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani
Kamala (Mallotus philippensis), of the Euphorbiaceae family. Small evergreen tree with rusty-hairy young shoots; native range: Indian subcontinent through South-East Asia to southern China, the Philippines and northern Australia. Globally recognized as kampillaka in Sanskrit, kamala / kambhal / sinduri in Hindi, cu kang chai (粗糠柴) in Chinese, qinbil (قنبيل) in Arabic, and monkey-face tree · dyer's rottlera · red kamala in English. The part used is red glandular powder (hairs) from the ripe fruit capsules; also root and bark. A free-running, brick-red granular powder, near tasteless at first then faintly acrid, staining the fingers and floating on water.
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.
KAMALA
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Kamala
- Scientific name
- Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Müll.Arg.
- Family
- Euphorbiaceae
Form
- Part used
- red glandular powder (hairs) from the ripe fruit capsules; also root and bark
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- bitter · astringent (slightly)
- Ayurveda
- pungent (katu) · bitter (tikta)
- Western
- acrid (faint), otherwise nearly tasteless
- Unani
- bitter · acrid
Temperature
- TCM
- cool
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
- Western
- warm
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Large Intestine · Spleen
- Western
- intestines · bowels · skin
- Unani
- intestines · stomach
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- kills parasites, clears heat and toxicity, dries damp sores
- Ayurveda
- krimighna (anthelmintic), kushthaghna (heals skin disease), rechana (purgative), vranaropana (wound-healing)
- Western
- taeniafuge, purgative, styptic and antiparasitic dusting powder, dye
- Unani
- daf-e-deedan (anthelmintic), mudamil-e-qurooh (wound-healer), for bahaq and other skin blemishes
Cautions
- Contraindications
- pregnancy; inflamed bowel; small children except under care
- Toxicity
- an active purgative — larger doses gripe and cause nausea, vomiting and watery stool; the resin is a mucous-membrane irritant
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