Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Western · Unani
Turpeth (Operculina turpethum), of the Convolvulaceae family. Twining perennial climber with milky juice and winged stems; native range: Tropical India and Asia, in thickets and hedges. Globally recognized as trivrit / nishotha / sarala in Sanskrit, nishoth / pitohri in Hindi, turbud in Arabic, and turpeth, Indian jalap, St. Thomas lidpod in English. The part used is root and root bark. Wrinkled, greyish, cord-like root pieces with a papery bark, faintly acrid and nauseous to the taste.
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.
TURPETH
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Turpeth
- Scientific name
- Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
Form
- Part used
- root and root bark
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- pungent (katu) · bitter (tikta) · astringent (kashaya)
- Western
- acrid · bitter
- Unani
- pungent · bitter
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
- Western
- hot
- Unani
- hot & dry (3rd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- bowels · intestines · liver
- Unani
- intestines · stomach · liver
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- virechana (purgative) — the mildest dependable purge of the classics; kaphapittahara, for shotha (oedema) and udara (ascites)
- Western
- drastic cathartic and hydragogue purgative resembling jalap; anthelmintic
- Unani
- mus-hil (purgative), munzij-o-mus-hil-e-balgham (ripens and purges phlegm), mufatteh (deobstruent)
Cautions
Contraindications: pregnancy, weakness and emaciation, bleeding piles, ulcerated gut
Toxicity: the black (krishna) variety is a drastic griping purge — nausea, cramps and dehydration
Interactions
- Western
- cardiac glycosides: purgative potassium loss potentiates digitalis toxicity · diuretics: additive potassium and fluid loss
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