Lacca
Laksha, Lakh (Ayurveda)
Luk (Arabic)
rgya skyegs རྒྱ་སྐྱེགས་ (Tibetan Medicine)
Zi Cao Rong (TCM)
Gum Lacca with one of the source tress
Museum Museorum, Valentini, 1704
Lacca
Aromaticum et Simplicium Aliquot, de Orta, 1579
Lacca on stick (top); interior of Lacca showing eggs (second from top) (Chengdu Medicine Market, Adam, 2016)
Close-up of the raw Lacca containing Egg chambers.
(Adam, 2016)
Button Lac, purified Lacca (Adam, 2022)
Backlit Button Lac showing deep red color
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Entomological name:
Female insect of Laccifer lacca (syn. Carteria lacca, Coccus lacca, Kerria lacca) produce the resinous stick-lac around the branches of certain trees.
A number of other species are used including Tachardia lacca, although the above-mentioned species is primarily cultivated.
Typically collected from the trees of Ziziphus marutiana, Butea monosperma, Schleichera oleosa, Ficus religiosa, Mimosa spp. etc.
Parts used:
Secreted stick-lac which has been purified
Stick lac is the raw product; Seed Lac, Grain Seed Lac, Shellac, Button Lac and Sheet Lac are all names of the purified product after different processing.
Three main products on the market are as follows:
- Stick Lac: whole pieces of raw lac, deep red, often in big pieces where the branch is either still attached, or containing bark.
- Seed Lac: fragments of Lac; broken Stick Lac; usually regular-sized grains
- Shell Lac (Shellac): thin sheets or scaled of purified Lac; melting, strained and dipped onto plates to give sheets of deep red lacca.
India is the primary source of Lacca, followed by Thailand.
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. (some called it Warm). Sweet, salty, bitter, astringent, slightly toxic
Constituents:
Resin (70–80%), proteins, sugars, pigments, anthraquinone, traces of essentail oil
Uses:
1. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis, Eases Pain (West, TCM, Tibetan, Ayurveda):
-Amenorrhea, Menstrual Pain;
2. Clears Heat and Toxin (West, TCM, Tibetan, Ayurveda):
-Boils, Eruptions, Acne.
3. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine (West, TCM, Tibetan, Ayurveda):
-Edema, Stones
4. Opens the Liver, Clears Heat and Damp:
-Jaundice
5. Moves the Blood, Eases Pain, Strengthens the Bones:
–Astanga Hrdaya (a traditional Ayurvedic text) said Lacca is the best drug in the healing of Fractures.
6. Aphrodisiac:
7. Strengthens the Heart:
-regarded as a Heart tonic (Ayurveda, Unani)
8. Anti-Fertility:
-significant Anti-Fertility effect has been demonstrated
9. Clears Heat, Stops Cough:
-Cough and Asthma. (Unani)
10. Externally:
-applied to Bleeding Wounds to stop bleeding and promote healing.
Dose:
Preparation:
Correctives:
Substitutes:
Main Combinations:
1. To open obstructions, move the Blood, promote Urine and Break stones, Lacca with … available in PRO version
2. To open the Lungs, Liver, Stomach, Spleen, Womb, Kidneys and Bladder, Lacca with … available in PRO version
3. Lung Ulcer with Cough:
i. Lacca … available in PRO version
ii. Lacca, … available in PRO version
4. Obesity:
i. Lacca with … available in PRO version
ii. Lacca with … available in PRO version
iii. Lacca with … available in PRO version
5. Blood stagnation:
i. Lacca with … available in PRO version
ii. Lacca with … available in PRO version
iii. Lacca, … available in PRO version
6. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding, … available in PRO version
7. Anti-implantation (Contraceptive), Lacca with … available in PRO version
8. To strengthen Bones and promote Healing of Fractures:
i. Lacca, … available in PRO version
ii. Lacca, … available in PRO version
Major Formulas:
Electuary of Lacca (Andrezeos)
Troches of Gum Lacca (Trochisci de Lacca) (Mesue)
Powder of Gum Lacca Greater (Dialacca Majores) (Mesue)
Powder of Gum Lacca Lesser (Dialacca Minor) (Mesue)
Powder of Amber (Unani)
Powder for Ascites (Isaac)
Powder for Bruising Lesser (Renodeus)
Powder for Congealed Blood in the Chest
Medicament Strong to Promote Urine
Troches of Amber (Trochisci de Succino) (Mesue)
Troches of Annis (Nicholas)
Troches of Rhubarb Lesser (Unani)
Troches of Rhubarb Greater
Pills of Rhubarb (Greater) (Pil. de Raved Sceni) (Mesue)
Electuary of Frankincense (Zenon)
Electuary of Rose (Unani)
Electuary of Rhubarb (Zenon)
Electuary of Rhubarb (Unani)
Electuary of Aloeswood (Egyptian?)
Expert Electuary for Old Fever (Catilina)
Electuary to Strengthen the Liver (Catilina)
Electuary to Strengthen the Internal Members (Azaricon)
Rhodiola 4 Decoction (Sro lo bzhi thang) (Tibetan Medicine)
Madder Pill (Tibetan Medicine)
Amomum 11 (Ko la 11) (Tibetan Medicine)
Chebula 10 (A Ru 10) (Tibetan Medicine)
Chebula 18 for Urinary Incontinence (Gcin snyi a ru 18) (Tibetan Medicine)
Possessor of Ruby Color (Pad rag mdog ldan) (Tibetan Medicine)
Lakshadi Guggulu (Ayurveda)
Cautions:
1. Not used during pregnancy.
2. Large doses can irritate the Stomach
Toxicity:
1. Assessment of the carcinogenic potential of a proposed food coloring additive, laccaic acid, using short-term assays.
2. Statement on the safety and efficacy of Shellac for all animal species
Main Preparations used:
Purified Gum Lacca
1. Structural identification and biological activity of six new Shellolic esters from Lac.
2. Antimicrobial Efficacy of Methylated Lac Dye, an Anthraquinone Derivative.
3. Research on plants for fertility regulation in India.
4. Study of Antifertility Effect of Luk Maghsool (Laccifer lacca Kerr) in Albino Rat with Reference to its Antiovulatory and Oestrogenic Activity
5. Lac dye as a potential anti-neoplastic agent.
6. Antiobesity effects of seedlac and shellac in rats fed with a high-fat diet.
7. Vranaropaka effect of Laksha Churna with Madhu on wound after removal of Danta Sharkara.
8. Clinical study on Laksha Guggulu, Snehana, Swedana & Traction in Osteoarthritis (Knee joint)
9. The effect of Luk magsool (processed Lac) on diet induced hyperlipidemia in albino rats. Hippocratic Journal of Unani Medicine 6 (2): 155-165.
