A Pattern of Thai Medical Herbal in the Pharmacopoeia of Wat Phrai Suwan, Amphoe Bangkratum, Phitsanulok Province

Abstract

This study is based on the Pharmacopoeia of Wat Phrai Suwan, Bangkrathum District, Phitsanulok Province, which contains several types of Thai Medical Herbal: a document taken from the Art and Culture Office of Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University with a reference number พส.ข.0264. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and compare the writing style of Thai medical herbs found in the Pharmacopoeia of Wat Phrai Suwan, Bangkrathum District, Phitsanulok Province to a Thai herbal dictionary. The findings showed that various writing styles in the Pharmacopoeia of Wat Phrai Suwan was conducted and concluded into 50 types. The following is a list of the top five examples. First, ‘ห’ (h alphabet) was written before each word to indicate a rising sound or a prefix; this yielded 60 words. Second, the special symbol or Nikhahit (a Thai symbol for -ang pronunciation) was used to represent the ‘-a’ sound; this yielded 59 words. Third, the ‘E-ka’ tone mark was employed to represent the ‘-a’ sound; this yielded 56 words. Forth, the ‘To’ tone mark was made for a half voice of ‘-a’; this yielded 38 words. Fifth, the ‘E-ka’ tone mark was created to represent a half voice of the ‘-o’; this yielded 20 words.