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BPS6 Bhasma

The document discusses the process of Bhasmikaran in Ayurveda, which involves the calcination of metals to create bhasmas, enhancing their therapeutic properties. It outlines various steps such as purification (Shodhan), powdering (Maran), and quality control measures to ensure the efficacy and safety of the final product. The document also describes specific techniques and criteria for evaluating the quality of bhasmas.

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22 views21 pages

BPS6 Bhasma

The document discusses the process of Bhasmikaran in Ayurveda, which involves the calcination of metals to create bhasmas, enhancing their therapeutic properties. It outlines various steps such as purification (Shodhan), powdering (Maran), and quality control measures to ensure the efficacy and safety of the final product. The document also describes specific techniques and criteria for evaluating the quality of bhasmas.

Uploaded by

neelpatelp55
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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By DR.

Movaliya
ASH
 Bhasma :- Ayurveda has been defined as a substance obtained by
calcination.
 Anything inorganic or organic burnt into its ash. The process of
calcinations Is also employed for preparation of bhasmas of coral,
pearl, and shell.
 Bhasma is residue left after complete incineration (calcinations) of
metals.)
Bhasmikaran:- is a process by which a substance which is bio-
incompatible is made bio-compatibie

by certain sanskaras (processes to enhance the desirable qualities


of the drug being processed)

The objectives of Bhasmikaran are-

a) Elimination of harmful matters from the drug


b) Modification of undesirable physical properties of the drug
c) Conversion of some of the characteristics of the drug
d) Enhancement of the therapeutic action
Various Steps Involved
1) Shodhan -Purification,
2) Maran- Powdering,
3) Chalan- Stirring,
4) Dhavan -Washing,
5) Galan- Filtering,
6) Puttan- Heating,
7) Mardan- Trituration
8) Bhavan- Coating with herbal extract,
9) Amrutikaran- Detoxification and
10) Sandharan- Preservation

Selection of these steps depends on the specific metal. Sometimes there


is an overlapping of the steps e.g. Maran is achieved by Puttan.
1) Shodhan - Purification
 Means purifying and making the product suitable for the next step i.e.
Maran.
 The principle objective of shodhan is to remove unwanted part from the
raw material and separate out impurities.
 Metals obtained from ores may contain several impurities, which are
removed by subjecting them to Shodhan process.

 Ayurveda classifies shodhan into

a) General process (Samanya Shodhan)and


b) Specific process. (Vishesh Shodhan)
1) A) General process tor shodhan:

 The sheets of metals are heated till red hot and are
successively dipped into liquids like oil, buttermilk, cow's
urine etc.
 The procedure is repeated seven times.
1) B) Specific process for shodhan:
 For some metals a specific process is described for shodhan Vishesha
shodhan includes
 bhavana, svedana, nirvapana and mardana e.g. for purification of Jasad,
the molten mass is poured in cow's milk 21 times.
 After shodhana bhasmas become soft and malleable for further processing
and their metallic property is improved. Various procedures employed for
shodhana are described below.
 Mineral drugs are heated in a furnace in the presence of dravaka,
substances (Liqueficants). All the metals except mercury are found in
nature in solid state, and they all fuse under high temperature to attain a
liquid state. When the temperature lowers they again return to their
natural physical form (i.e., in the solid state).
1) B) Specific process for shodhan:
 But these fused metals in the presence of some Liqueficants do not
return into their natural solid state even when the temperature lowers
(i.e., the metals remain in liquid form)
 This method or obtaining metals in liquid form is called dravana and
the obtained liquid metal is called druti.
 Druti holds Superior character with respect to efficacy, toxicity, and
increased shelf life than its native metals and retains its fluidity for a
longer time with proper preservation.
2) Maran:
 Maran literally means killing. As the name suggests in maran process,
a change is brought about in the chemical form or state of the metal.
 This makes it to lose its metallic characteristics and physical nature.
 After maran, metal can be converted into powder or other form,
suitable for administration.
 To convert various metals into a bhasma, several techniques have
been employed.
2) Maran:
 There are 3 methods given for maran. it is carried out by heating the
metal in presence of 1) mercury 2) plants and 3) sulfur.
 Bhasma prepared by using Rasa i.e. mercury is the best, whereas
the one prepared using herbs are of better quality and those prepared
using Gandhak (sulfur) are of inferior quality.
 Mercury is the most commonly used maran dravya.
 The unique property of mercury to amalgamate with many metals must
have been the reason behind its maximum use in the process of
Bhasmikaran.
2) Maran:
 Plants used in maran process may be serving as catalyst in the
process or the minerals in the plants may be forming complexes with
the metals.
 The purified metal is placed into a mortar and, With a pestle, ground
with the juice of specified plants or kashayas, mercury (in metallic
state), or a compound of mercury such as mercury per chloride
(sauviram), mercuric Sub chloride (ras karpur), cinnabar (ingalekam),
or an amalgam of sulfur and mercury (kajjali) for a specified period of
time.
2) Maran:
 The metal that is intended for marana is known as a primary metal
(Pradhan dhatu); the other metal, which is taken in small proportions
for the marana of the primary metal, is known as secondary metal
(Sahaya dhatu).
 Small cakes (Chakrikas) are made with the ground paste of the
minerals and dried under the sun.
 The size and thickness of the cakes depend on the heaviness of the
drug and size.
 The heavier the drug, the thinner the cakes.
3) Chalan:
 Process of stirring during heating the metal is Chalan.
 Stirring is carried out either with, iron rod or stick made from a specific
plant.
 Iron serves as catalyst in many chemical reactions.
 The phytoconstituents of plant stick may be enhancing the therapeutic
effect.
 For example, stick of Neem is used for Chalan process of Jasad
bhasma, which is used optically Tor ophthalmic diseases.
 Neem is an antiseptic; Zinc is antiseptic, astringent and
has ulcer healing property.
 These effects of both the constituents may impart the final product
better therapeutic activity.
4) Dhavan:

 In this process, Several water washes are given to the product


obtained in the previous stage to remove the excess amounts of
agents used in shodhan or maran stage.
 Such agents may adversely affect the quality of final product. Hence
intermediates are washed with water; thereby water soluble
constituents are removed.
5) Galan:

 The product is then sifted either through a fine cloth or through


sieves of suitable mesh so as to separate residual material larger
in size.
6) Puttan:
 The term puttan means ignition. The general term used for heating in
the process of Bhasmikaran is Puta.
 A special earthen pot, Sharav is generally used for the process. It has
two parts, each having a shape of soccer. Sharav is used for direct
heating of the material. Its shallowness is useful in heating the material
faster and uniformly. After keeping the material on the shallow surface,
other part is used as a lid, by placing it in an inverted position.
 This Puttan process is the key step in manufacturing of bhasma.
 The classification of Putta is primarily done on the basic nature of the
process like 1) Chandraputta 2) Dhanyarashiputta 3) Suryaputta 4)
Bhugarbhaputta
6) Puttan:
 These cakes are dried well under the shade and placed in one single
layer in a mud tray (sharava) and closed with another such tray; the
clay-smeared cloth keeps both the lid and the container in a position.
The clay-smeared cloth is applied seven times and dried to seal the
crucibles properly.
A pit is dug in an open space and half the pit is filled with dried cow
dung cakes.
 The crucibles are placed in the half-filled pit and are covered with cow
dung cakes up to the brim of the pit.
 Fire is then ignited on all four sides and in the middle of the pit. When
the burning is over, the contents are allowed to cool completely.
7) Amritikarana:
 It is done to make these metals safer.
 The process consists of heating the product from the marana procedure
in the presence of some herbal materials to improve safety and
therapeutic effect.
 In this process the required amounts of Triphala decoction, Cow's
Ghritika, and dhatu bhasma are placed in an iron pot.
 Mild heat is applied until the medicinal fluids are completely evaporated.
 Bhasma that remains at the end of this process is safer and possesses
higher therapeutic efficacy.
Quality Control of Bhasma
 Traditionally, the end points of incineration of a metal and its conversion
to a bhasma state are evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. There should be no Chandrika or metallic lusture (Nischandrika).


2. When a bhasma is spread between the index finger and thumb, it
should be so fine as to get easily into the lines and crevices of the
fingers (Rekhapurita).
3. When a small quantity is spread on cold and steady water, it should
float on the surface (Varitara).
4. The bhasma should not revert to the original state (Apurnabhava).
Quality Control of Bhasma

 A technique known as the phased spot test has been developed by


the investigators of Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and
Siddha (CCRAS) of India to identify bhasmas and Sindooras.
 This technique is very effective and accurate in identifying genuine
quality of bhasmas.
Thank you

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