Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Unani
Silver, of the native element (metal) family. A white, lustrous, soft and highly malleable metal, occurring native as wires, plates and dendrites; native range: hydrothermal veins, and the oxidised zones of lead and copper ores; refined from argentiferous ore. Globally recognized as rajata, tara, raupya in Sanskrit, chandi in Hindi, nuqra, waraq-e-nuqra (silver leaf) in Arabic/Urdu, and silver, silver leaf in English. The part used is the metal, beaten to leaf (waraq / patra) or incinerated to bhasma. Brilliant white and mirror-bright when fresh, tarnishing to black in foul air; so malleable it takes a leaf thin enough to see through, and tasteless on the tongue.
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.
SILVER
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- silver
- Scientific name
- Silver (native silver, Ag)
- Family
- native element (metal)
Form
- Part used
- the metal, beaten to leaf (waraq / patra) or incinerated to bhasma
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- astringent (kashaya) · sour (amla) · sweet (madhura)
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling (sheeta)
- Unani
- cold & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Unani
- heart · brain · liver
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- rasayana (rejuvenative), medhya (for the mind), vrishya (aphrodisiac), balya (strengthening), pittahara, vayasthapana (holds off age)
- Unani
- muqawwi-e-qalb (cardiac tonic), mufarrih (exhilarant), muqawwi-e-dimagh (nervine), muqawwi-e-jigar (hepatic tonic), habis (astringent)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- kapha conditions and cold, sluggish digestion; never the unincinerated metal internally
- Toxicity
- an improperly prepared bhasma or a soluble silver salt is toxic — prolonged use causes argyria (an irreversible slate-grey staining of the skin) and burdens the kidneys; only fully incinerated bhasma or true beaten leaf is used, and adulterated 'silver' leaf of aluminium is a known and harmful fraud
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