Vd. Sushant Sud

M.D (Ayu); DHM; CHSE

Asst. Prof

Dpt of Agad Tantra

Shri Gulabkunverba Ayurved Mahavidyalaya

Dhanwantari Mandir

Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar

1. The term Rasashastra literally means the divine “science of

mercury” aimed to abolish the curse of poverty and suffering , it also

helps to attain immortality.

2. Un processed parada is not used for administration as a

medicine so to bring it in to medicinal form it needs to undergo many

procedures including Moorchana, Moorchita Parada yoga have high

therapeutic values. There are various methods to obtain Moorchita

Parada based on specific mode of heat application.

3. One of the preparations of Moorchita parada is Rasakarpura.

Rasakarpura is nirganda saagni Moorchana type of preparation , but

according to Rasagranthas the nirganda murchita Parada yogas are more

toxic in nature than the saganda Moorchita Parada yogas and opine it

should not be used for long time.

Preparation of Rasakarpura as per Rasa Tarangini (6/65-70).

The chemical formula mentioned for Rasa karpura is Hg2Cl2, it

is considered as violent poison in modern science, but it has been

advised to use in the form of medicine in Rasagranths, hence

proper evaluation of drug will serve as an important tool for

better understanding them, so as to provide scientific data and

statistical validation for safety. An attempt is made to assess the

quality control on “Pharmaceutico-Analytical study of

Rasakarpura”.

Source of Data:

A] Literary source: Literary source is collected from Ayurvedicclassical textbooks, relevant modern text and published articles in repeated journals.

[B] Pharmaceutical source: Raw drug for the preparation of Rasakarpura was collected from S.D.M Pharmacy Udupi. Preparation of Rasakarpura was done in the department of Rasashastra S.D.M.C.A, Udupi, Karnataka.

[C] Analytical source:1. Organoleptic characters.2. Physico chemical constants. 3. Qualitative and Quantitative analysis. 4 . Particle size assessment.

There are 38 methods found in various texts of Rasashastra for the

preparation of Rasakarpura by using different mineral, metal and

herbal drugs, though the ingredients are different along with Parada

the final outcome is almost similar in nature.

Pharmaceutical study: The pharmaceutical study was carried out in

the following unit processes:

Poorva karma

Pradana karma

Paschat karma

Preparation Method ऩऱसमंमतं प्रयत्नद् विमऱीकु्रतं रसेशम ् ।

सऩऱाद््दकं ऩऱकंै विमऱं च गन्दकाम्ऱम ् ॥चषकोऩमे विशुद्दं ननदधधत काचऩात्रे ।विननधाय काचऩात्रं त्ियसस्त्रत्रऩाददकायाम ् ।ज्िमऱते सरुाप्रदीऩे सशंोषयेज्जऱांषम ् ।अथ शोवषते तु चूर्ा् त्िितय् िै प्रदीऩात ् ॥समभाधगकं च दधाल्ऱिर्ं तु सनै्दिक्यम ् ।ऩररमलै्य चुर्मे्तस्त्न्नदधधत काचकुप्यम ् ।युगस यकैरतु यामैैः मसकताक्य्यान्त्रसरंथम ् ।विऩचेदनतप्रयत्नत ् रसतन्त्रकमव्िग्नैः ।आिबधु्य काचकूऩी एि शीतऱस्त्न्िम ् ॥िनसारनामधेयं रसमहरेद्रसझ: ॥ र.त ६/६५-७०

In the study 400 gm of mixture was taken in order to facilitate

proper sublimation.

The drug Parada was selected by considering Grahya- Agrahya

lakshana, Shodana of Parada was performed to avoid the

complications such as murcha, hikka, jwara, shwasa, kasa, brama

etc.

Preparation of the mixture was carried out in two steps:

Parada was heated in Con. H2SO4

Addition of saindava lavana to mixture of Parada and Con. H2SO4

Pradhan Karma

KupiSthapana

• KupiBhedan

KupiPoorana

Initially mridu agni was started

later madhyam agni was

maintained till the corking (280c

-370c), this was where actual

formation of compound Hgcl2takes place, duration taken was 7

hours.

After the mukha mudhrana the

intensity of agni was increased

for 5 hours the temperature

maintained during this period was

428c-610c.

After complete 12 hours of

heating kupi was allowed to

swangasheetata, here to make

compound stable.

After kupi udharana wrapping around the kupi was scratched and

removed carefully. By this the compound inside the bottle was

clearly visible. This also facilitates the demarcation point between

the Sublimation portion of the Rasa Karpura , also particles in the

bottom of the bottle.

Siddhi pramana:

Needle like crystalline white structure was observed at the neck

part of the kupi. Dull white smooth powder was observed at the

base of the bottle.

Totally there was 42.5% of the Rasa karpura attained by this

procedure at the neck part of the kupi.

Analytical Study

1.Organoleptic characters.

a) Colour

b) Taste

c) Odour

d) Appearance

2.Physico chemical constants.

a) Determination of pH.

b) Total ash value.

c) Acid insoluble ash.

d) water soluble ash.

e) Loss of drying.

3.Qualitative and Quantitative analysis.

a) Atomic absorption spectroscopy(A.A.S).

b) X R D

4. Particle size assessment.

The pH of the sample of Rasakarpura is 7.24.

The ash value was found to be very less that is 32.84%.

The percentage of acid insoluble ash value was 18.13%.

The percentage of water soluble ash value was 2.44%.

The Particle size vary from 18 microns to 31microns.

Organo-leptic Characters:

Colour: White.

Odour: Characteristic.

Taste: Palatable.

Appearance: Crystalline.

Loss on Drying (moisture content) 3.25%.

Elemental analysis indicates presence of Mercury with some trace

elements.

Mercury: 32.1%.

Arsenic: 1.70%.

Lead: 0.02%.

X-ray diffraction study indicated the presence, HgCl2, Ca, Na, traces

of Pb, Ar, Zn, Mg, Fe and almost absence of free Hg.

Mercurous chloride(calomel)HgCl2

Mercurous chloride if fibrous , heavy dirty, white masses often mixed with

mercuric chloride, it is heavy amorphous white and tasteless powder,

insoluble in water, alchohal , ether,cold dilute acids. It is formed by the

alteration of other mercury minerals, such as cinnabar or amalgams.

The dose is 30-180mg.whwn heated it sublimates without fusing . it is

converted into mercuric chloride by chlorine water , alkaline chlorides and

common salts hence it should never be prescribed with any of these

substance. exposure to sunlight decomposes into mercuric and mercuric

chloride.

Mercurous chloride has been most often used as a treatment for intestinal

worms. In the past, large doses were often used to stimulate

the intestines and remove blockages, although it is rarely used in medicine

today. When it is used as a laxative, if the treatment fails to work, large

doses of other laxatives and water must be used to insure that no mercury

is allowed to accumulate in the body.

List OF REFERENCES

Sharma Sadanand, Rasa Tarangini: with Prasadini Samskrta Commentary by Ayurvedacarya Shastri Haridatta, Rasa Vijnana Hindi Commentary by Shastri Dharmananda, 11th Ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidasa; 1979 (6thChapter/65-70) Pp-772. P- 115/116.

Gosh MN, Fundamental of Experimental Pharmacology, 2nd Edition, Kolkatta by Scientific Book Agency 1984. Pp – 230, P-155.

Modi Jaising P. Subrahmanyam BV editor. Modi’s Medical Jurisprudence & Toxicology.22nd Edition. New Delhi: Lexis Nexis Group of Companies; 2004. Pp- 1336, Section 2-Chapter 4/Inorganic Irritant Poisons/Arsenic P-136.

Baghel M.S, Researches in Ayurveda, 2nd Edition, Jamnagar, Mridu Ayurvedic Publication & Sales, 2005, Pp-381, P-30,31,71,99,123.