Wax, Cera

La 蜡 (TCM)
Madhuchista (Ayurveda)
Shehad ke chattay ka mom (Unani)

Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563

Pharmacetical name:

Cera from Apis, the Bee.

Parts used:

Clarified Beeswax

Temperature & Taste:

“Moderate in temperament” (Avicenna)

Classification:

T. External Medicines

Uses:

1. Softens Hardness, Soothes Irritation:

-mildly softening and dissolvent (Avicenna)
-softens hardness of the tendons, ligaments and nerves
-applied to the chest (or licked or taken internally) for “roughness of the chest” (Avicenna)
-prevents coagulation of Milk in nursing mothers. (Avicenna)
-it has been taken internally for Hard Swellings

2. Resists Poison, Stops Leakage:

-“It is said that wax absorbs the poisons” (Avicenna)
–internally Diarrhea and Dysentery with Blood or Mucus
-applied to poison arrow wounds to absorb the poison.
-bleeding during Pregnancy

3. Strengthens the Body:

-prevents Hunger and slows up Senility (TCM)
-regarded as a strengthening tonic for the organs, strengthening the body (TCM, West)
-“all kinds of Beeswax soften, warm and also regenerate the Human body, fresh wax being the most useful” (Pliny)
-“Increases Sexual desire” (Avicenna)
-“Ingested over a long time, it relieves the body of its weight, and prevents hunger”. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

4. Used in Pharmacy:

-important for the formation of Ointments and Plasters
-pills covered with melted wax can last much longer.
-it is an effective preservative

5. Externally:

-applied to all type of hardness
-used to fill hollow teeth
-for burns, scalds, fractures and wounds, and is also applied to Frostbite
-The fumes from burning wax was inhaled for coughs and to stop hiccups

Dose:

Used topically in Ointments, Plasters etc.
It has been taken internally by forming into pills the size of millet and taking 10 pills as a dose.

Preparation:

It is heated an strained to remove foreign matter.

Main Combinations:

Used with Oil (Olive, Sesame etc.) as a basis for Ointments and Plasters
Used with Honey to form an ointment (Ceromel) for Wounds and Ulcers

1. Intestinal Ulcers, take 10 small pills of Wax (the size of a millet seed) with Rice water.
2. To prevent Hunger:
i. in ancient times during famines, Beeswax was mixed with Chinese Dates (Da Zao) and chewed together to prevent hunger.
ii. Beeswax, Pine resin, Apricot kernel (Xing Ren), Chinese Dates (Da Zao), Poria Fu Ling (equal parts), prepare pills. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
3. Indolent Ulcers, prepare a plaster of Honey with Wax (Ceromel)
4. Lupus, apply a plaster of Honey with Wax (Ceromel)

Major Formulas:

Cautions:

None noted

Chinese researchers isolated 3 blood-lipid lowering compounds from the Beeswax of Apis mellifera and A. cerana