Bhasmas: Unique Ayurvedic Metallic–Herbal Preparations, Chemical Characterization

Abstract

Bhasmas are unique Ayurvedic metallic preparations with herbal juices/fruits, known in the Indian subcontinent since the seventh century BC and widely recommended for treatment of a variety of chronic ailments. Twenty bhasmas based on calcium, iron, zinc, mercury, silver, potassium, arsenic, copper, tin, and gemstones were analyzed for up to 18 elements by instrumental neutron activation analysis, including their C, H, N, and S contents. In addition to the major constituent element found at % level, several other essential elements such as Na, K, Ca, Mg, V, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn have also been found in microg/g amounts and ultratrace (ng/g) amounts of Au and Co. These seem to remain chelated with organic ligands derived from medicinal herbs. The bhasmas are biologically produced nanoparticles and are taken along with milk, butter, honey, or ghee (a preparation from milk); thus, this makes these elements easily assimilable, eliminating their harmful effects and enhancing their biocompatibility. Siddha Makaradhwaja, a mercury preparation is found to be stoichiometrically HgS without any traces of any other element. Similarly, Swet Parpati is stoichiometrically KNO3 but is found to have Mn, Cu, Zn, Na, P, and Cl as well. An attempt has been made to correlate the metallic contents with their medicinal importance. Na and K, the two electrolytic elements, seem to be well correlated, although K/Na varies in a wide range from 0.06 to 95, with specifically low values for Ca-, Fe-, and Zn-based bhasmas. K/P also varies in a wide range from 0.23 to 12, although for most bhasmas (n = 12), it is 2.3 +/- 1.2. Further, Fe/Mn is linearly correlated (r = 0.96) with Fe in nine noniron bhasmas.

Mercury in Traditional Medicines: Is Cinnabar Toxicologically Similar to Common Mercurials?

“…Mercury can form a number of stable organic metallic compounds by attaching to one or two carbon atoms. Methyl mercury (CH 3 Hg + ) is the toxicologically most important organic form (11), but dimethyl mercury [(CH 3 ) 2 Hg] is the most toxic mercurial (12). Ethyl mercury (C 2 H 5 Hg + ) is the major component of thimerosal, used as preservative in many vaccine preparations routinely administered to infants (13).…”

Acute, Sub-Acute (28-Days), and Sub-Chronic (90-Days) Oral Toxicity Studies of Nandhi Mezhugu

“…The toxic effects of mercury were neutralized in the presence of sulphur, which is one of the ingredients in NM 9 . From other safety studies on herbo-metallo mineral formulations 9,10 , it was evident that if the preparation of such formulations is carried out as per Standard Operating Procedures (they undergo thorough extensive purification and preparation methods involving distillation, calcination, heating, melting and extraction using earthen utensils at specified temperatures to make the minerals ready for human consumption) mentioned in classical literature, they do not produce any toxic effects.…”

“…From other safety studies on herbo-metallo mineral formulations 9,10 , it was evident that if the preparation of such formulations is carried out as per Standard Operating Procedures (they undergo thorough extensive purification and preparation methods involving distillation, calcination, heating, melting and extraction using earthen utensils at specified temperatures to make the minerals ready for human consumption) mentioned in classical literature, they do not produce any toxic effects. In the prepared NM, the essential elements such as Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe and Zn had also been found in µg/g amounts and trace amounts of arsenic and mercury seemed to remain chelated with organic ligands derived from medicinal herbs by alchemic processes making these biologically assimilable.…”

“…It is, probably, this property which renders many of the highly toxic metals, nontoxic. It is believed that the toxic effects of these medicines are neutralized by the medium of honey/ghee/milk and provide a natural and effective alternative to synthetic allopathic drugs 9 .…”

Toxicological Studies of “Chondrokola rosh”, an Ayurvedic Preparation on Liver Function Tests of Rats

“…These bhasmas are biologically produced nanoparticles and are taken along with herbal liquids. Thus this makes these elements easily assimilable, eliminating their harmful effects and enhancing their biocompatibility (Kumar et al, 2006). As a traditional alternative medicine, CKR is used in dysuria or 'mutrakrcchra' in Sanskrit (BNF of Ayurvedic medicine, 1992).…”