Greater Polycrest Pills
Pilulae Aggregative Majores,
or Pilulae Polychrestae
Pills of Many Virtues
or Greater Polycrest Pills
Tradition:
Western, Unani
Source / Author:
Mesue
| Herb Name | Latin | Amount * |
|---|---|---|
| Turbith | Operculina turpethum | 6 drams ea. |
| Aloe | Aloe spp. | 5 drams |
| Scammony prepared | Convovulus scammonia | 4 drams ea. |
| Rhubarb | Rheum palmatum | 2 drams ea. |
| Yellow Myrobalan | Terminalia chebula (yellow) | 1 dram ea. |
| Agrimony juice thickened | Agrimonia eupatoria | |
| Wormwood juice thickened | Artemisia absinthum | |
| Agaric | Fomitopsis officinalis | |
| Troches of Colocynth | Troschisci Alhandal | |
| Polypody | Polypodium vulgare | |
| Chebulic Myrobalan | Terminalia chebula | |
| Black Myrobalan | Terminalia chebula (black) | |
| Mastic | Pistacia lentiscus | |
| Rose | Rosa gallica | |
| Rock Salt | Sal Gem | |
| Dodder | Cuscuta europea | |
| Aniseed | Pimpinella anisum | |
| Ginger | Zingiber officinalis |
Preparation:
Powder all the dry ingredients together, except for the Mastic, Scammony, and Aloe which should be powdered apart then added. With a little Syrup of Damask Roses, form a pill mass.
Function:
Purges all Humors from the Head, Stomach, Liver and Bowels, Opens Obstructions
Use:
1. Scrofula
2. Tumors
3. Leprosy
4. Chronic Arthritic diseases, Sciatica, Gout
5. Used periodically in the treatment of various obstinate and chronic diseases.
6. Chronic and Complex Fevers
7. Anasarca type of Edema (excess Phlegm)
8. Hypochondriac Melancholy
Dose:
1⁄2 dram–2 scruples, rarely up to 1 dram, taken in the morning on an empty stomach
Cautions:
None noted
Modifications:
1. Some version omitted Chebulic and Black Myrobalans
2. Spleen obstruction, add Gum Ammoniac.
3. Gonorrhea, form Pills with Turpentine
4. Erysipelas, combine with Pills of Rhubarb and form pills with Syrup of Violet.
Similar Formulas:
Used similarly to Pills of Eight Things, Pills of the Five Kinds of Myrobalans, Imperial Pills and Arabian Pills.
They were called Aggregative or Polycrest ‘because they congregate and purge several bad Humors together, drawing them from all parts of the body’.
Mesue had three versions of these Pills originally, but only this one remained in common use. Aggregative Minores contained Yellow, Black and Emblic Myrobalans, 3 drams ea., Mastic, Aniseed, juice of Agrimony and Wormwood, Rose, 2 drams ea., Rhubarb 5 drams, Hiera Picra Galenii 10 drams; form pills with Celery juice.
Culpeper said ‘It purges the head of Choler [Bile], Phlegm and Melancholy, and that stoutly: it is good against Quotidian Agues, and faults in the Stomach and Liver, yet because it is well corrected if you take but half a dram at a time, and keep yourself warm, I suppose you may take it without danger’.
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