Lapis Judaicus, Jew’s Stone

Lapis Syriaci, Tecolithi (Pliny)
Hajrul Yahud (Arabic, Unani)
Sang-I-Kharus (Unani)
Bera Patthar (Ayurveda)
Badarasma (Sanskrit)
Ovum anguinum ‘Snake Eggs’ (Pliny)

Gemmarum et Lapidum Historia, Tollius, 1647

Lapis Judaicus (Culcutta Unani College, Adam, 2019)

Fossilised Balanocidaris with attached ‘Jew’s Stone’

BUY LAPIS JUDAICUS

Minerological name:

Fossil Encrite
Club-like Spines of the Jurassic Echinoid Balanocidaris.

Parts used:

Fossil clubs Spines
The smaller and rounder were called Female and were more appropriated to Bladder stones, whereas the longer and larger varieties were preferred for Kidney stones, although few authors noted this distinction.

Temperature & Taste:

Cold, dry. Salty
Hot in 1st degree, Dry in 2nd degree (Unani)
Galen considered it Neutral

Classification:

3F. Lithontriptic

Uses:

1. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine, Clears Stones:

-a special for Urinary Stones
-relieves pain of urinary stones and helps dissolve them; within 2–3 doses, it is said to completely alleviate Renal Colic
-retention of Urine, obstructed Urine, Strangury, Dysuria
-also for Kidney and Bladder Ulcers
-also Gall Stones
-“It is useful in Kidney Stones and expels them … It is also claimed that it is useful in Bladder Stones but this is not correct” (Avicenna)

2. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:

-it has been used for vomiting from Stomach Heat
-long regarded as effective against Poison, including Snake Bite

3. Externally:

-as a dusting powder for skin diseases including Itching, Ringworm, Rashes

Dose:

Prepared Stone: 500–1000mg, up to 1500mg taken with warm water or decoction of Chickpeas.

Comment:

According to some Unani sources, it is useful for Ulcers, Hemorrhoids, and to increase Libido.

Substitutes:

1. Dolichos biflorus (Unani)
2. Spar stone
3. Sponge stone
4. Coleus spp. (Unani)
5. Belemnite

Preparation:

1. Levigated Lapis Judaiacus
The stone is ground with Rose water or Pandanus water for 3 days until finely levigated.
According to other sources, it is levigated with Water of Pellitory of the Wall.
2. Radish Juice prepared Lapis Judaiacus
The stone is ground with Radish juice for 7 days. This is stronger to break Stones.

Main Combinations:

1. Stones:
i. Lapis Judaicus, Amber
ii. Lapis Judaicus, Belemnite (equal parts)
iii. Chicken Gizzard Skin with Jew’s Stone, Amber
iv. Lapis Judaicus, Sponge Stone, Belemnite, Amber
v. and Dysuria, Lapis Judaicus, Goat Blood, Peach kernels, Parsley seed, Celery seed
vi. Lapis Judaicus, Belemnite, Goat’s Blood prepared, Sponge stone, Indian Spikenard, Tragacanth, Parsley seed, Carrot seed, Nettle seed, Burdock seed (as in Lithontripticon of Nicholas),
vii. Lapis Judaicus, Hollyhock seed, Four Greater Cold Seeds, Marshmallow seed, Fennel seed (Sabur Ibn Sahl’s Dispensatory, Kahl)
viii. Lapis Judaicus with 4 Cold Seeds, Marshmallow seed, Fennel seed, Scorpion, Maidenhair, Egg shell (as in Powder for Kidney Stones from Heat of Unani)
2. Kidney and Bladder Ulcers, Lapis Judaicus with Dragons Blood, Armenian (Red) Earth, Mastic, Melon seed, Winter Cherry, Marshmallow seed

Major Formulas:

Stone–Breaking Powder (Lithontripticon) (Nicholas)
Confection of Ashes
Electuary for Stones (Azaricon)
Letificans Electuary (Unani)
Powder for Gravel of Dr. Maghenbuch
Powder for Kidney Stones from Heat (Unani)
Pills to Crumble Kidney Stones (Unani)
Pills for Kidney and Bladder Ulcers

ELECTUARY OF LAPIS JUDAICUS
Lapis Judaicus 50 drams
Cucumber seed
Pumpkin seed
Winter Cherry 5 drams ea.
Mix the powders with Honey.
Used for Kidney and Bladder stones.
Dose: 2–3 drams (Pharmacopoeia Persica, 1681)

Cautions:

1. Use cautiously in those with weak digestion. “It weakens the stomach and does not suit it. It reduces appetite”. (Avicenna)
2. Some Unani sources considered it Abortifacient

Main Preparations used:

Prepared Stone

Extra Info
History
Research
Comment

Salmon, Seplasium:
It is called in Greek Ioudaicos; in Arabic Hager-alieudi; in Latin Lapis Judaicus, Phrenicites. Aetius called it Lapis Syriacus; Pliny called it Tecolite, Tecolithos or Techo-lithos; in English, Jew’s Stone.
It is found in India, Judea and Silesia.

It is a round stone shaped like an Olive, some longer, some shorter, is friable and striate, whitish or grayish colored and easily broken, streaked with lines of equal distance. Those from Syria were said to be best and are called Male, the lesser types are called Female.

It is good for Gravel and Stones in the Kidneys and Bladder according to Boetius and Dioscorides. It opens all obstructions.

Dose: 1 scruple–1/2 dram or 2 scruple of the very fine powder in 4 ounces of warm water, or preferably a decoction of Chickpeas

GENERAL / REVIEW
–Fossils as drugs: pharmaceutical palaeontology
–Lapis Judaicus or the Jews’ stone: the folklore of fossil echinoid spines
–Elemental analysis, physicochemical characterization and lithontriptic properties of Lapis judaicus
KIDNEY STONES
–Hajrul yahood (Lapis judaicus): An important mineral drug of Unani system of medicine for the management of urolithiasis
–Randomized and double-blinded clinical trial of the safety and calcium kidney stone dissolving efficacy of Lapis judaicus
–Elemental analysis, physicochemical characterization and lithontriptic properties of Lapis judaicus
–The Effect of Lapis Judaicus Compared with Hydrochlorothiazide on Kidney Stones; a Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial
–A review on management of urolithiasis in Medieval Persia
–Lithotriptic effect of Safūf Hajar-al Yahūd in patients of Hasat-ul Kilya (Nephrolithiasis)–an open prospective clinical validation trial