Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Western · Unani

Damask rose (Rosa damascena), of the Rosaceae family. Arching thorny shrub with semi-double fragrant flowers; native range: Of ancient hybrid origin in the Middle East; long cultivated in Persia, Turkey, Bulgaria and India for attar. Globally recognized as shatapatri in Sanskrit, gulab in Hindi, ward jouri; gul-e-surkh (Persian) in Arabic, and gul-e-surkh, red rose in English. The part used is flower (petals). Loose blush-to-crimson petals of an intense sweet warm-cool fragrance, softly astringent and honeyed to 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.

DAMASK ROSE

IDENTITY

Name

Common: Damask rose
Scientific name: Rosa damascena Herrm.
Family: Rosaceae

Form

Part used: flower (petals)

PROPERTIES

Nature

Taste

how the plant declares itself on the tongue

Ayurveda: astringent · bitter · sweet (kashaya, tikta, madhura)
Western: astringent · aromatic · sweet
Unani: astringent · aromatic · bitter

Temperature

Ayurveda: cooling (sheeta)
Western: cool
Unani: cold (cold in 1st, dry in 2nd degree)

Affinity

where in the body it travels

Organs / channels

Western: heart · stomach · bowels
Unani: heart · brain · stomach · liver

PRACTICE

Virtue

Actions

Ayurveda: hridya (cardiac), medhya, sheetala, mridu-virechana (mild laxative as gulkand), varnya
Western: cooling astringent, cordial, gently laxative (syrup of damask rose), tonic to the heart and stomach
Unani: mufarreh (exhilarant), muqawwi-e-qalb wa dimagh (tonic to heart and brain), mulaiyin (laxative), muqawwi-e-meda, qabid

Cautions

Contraindications: none of note in ordinary use
Toxicity: non-toxic; a gentle and well-tolerated remedy

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