Professional Documents
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Mercury
J.P.Venthamarai selvi 1 , M.Krishnaveni 1 , S.Tamil selvi 1 , J.Anbu .2
Introduction:
Siddha system of medicine is one of the ancient traditional
systems of the world. Siddhars are the Spiritual scientists of Tamil Nadu.
Siddhars never used raw Mercury as such for therapeutic purposes. They
properly processed Mercury by adding certain organic juices and subjected it to various
processes of sodhana and marana before using it for medicinal preparations. The
method of processing mercury for therapeutic purposes is known as RASA SUTHI
in Siddha system of medicine.
1
Department of Gunapadam, Govt.Siddha Medical College, Arumbakkam, Chennai-106.
2
Department of Pharmacology, Vel’s college of Pharmacy, Old Pallavaram, Chennai-
600117.
AIM AND OBJECTIVE
1 To explore the chemical changes in Mercury before and after Rasa Sudhi.
2. To analyse the changes in mercury occuring during various stages in the process of
Rasa Sudhi done by three different Siddha classical methods.
4. To evaluate the best method of Rasa Sudhi (Among the three commonly practiced
methods).
PURPOSE OF PURIFICATION
RASAM means MERCURY IN SIDDHA.
RASASUDHI means THE METHOD OF
PURIFICATION AND PROCESSING
OF THERAPEUTIC MERCURY.
Rasa Suthi means, not only the removal of impurities from Mercury but it involves
In nature Mercury is seldom available in its physically and chemically pure form.
The contamination is natural and it takes place in the mine itself. Often contamination
takes place knowingly or unknowingly during the process of extraction, storage,
preservation and distribution. All this extraneous material are to be removed and
Mercury should be obtained in prescribed form for obtaining the desired therapeutic
effect.
2. To make the metal free from toxicity
Metals, even in their physically and chemically pure form might produce adverse
effects because they are inorganic in nature and they are heterogeneous to the body
tissue. By impregnating and triturating with organic material, like juices, decoctions of
herbs etc., they are made homologous to the tissue cells and their toxicity is reduced and
acceptability to the cell is increased. During this process certain organic and inorganic
materials are added to Mercury, which helps to increase its medicinal efficacy and safety.
Metals used as such are heterogeneous to the body tissue and it will not be
possible for them to get assimilated in the cell of the tissue to exercise their prescribed
therapeutic effe cts. So it must be reduced to a fine state of division which would be
homologous with the composition of the cells on which Mercury has to act to produce the
therapeutic effect. This fine state of metal is achieved by repeated trituration or
pulverizatio n.
SAMPLE: 2 (Hg –II) 1 350gms of Raw mercury is poured into the kalvam. Then it
is ground with brick powder and turmeric powder for one hour respectively. Mercury is
separated and washed with water. Then mercury is boiled with 13litres of Kuppaimaeni
(Acalypha indica) juice and then washed with water.
SAMPLE: 3(Hg –III) 1 500gms of Cinnabar (ore of Mercury) is powdered and mixed
with 2kgs of Kodivaeli (Plumbago zeylanica) root bark. The above mixture is placed in a
mud pot and the mouth is covered with another mudpot. The mouth of the pots is sealed
with mud smeared cloth and is dried. It is heated for three hours and is allowed to cool.
The Mercury is accumulated in the inner side of the upper pot and is collected carefully.
This mercury is called Vaal Rasam in Siddha.
The above four samples of mercury are subjected to semi quantitative analysis
using x-ray fluorescent(XRF) spectrometer at Sophisticated analytical instrument facility
, Indian Institute Of Technology ,Madras. The elements present in four samples of
mercury are screened .The results of the findings are given under the heading results and
observation.
Gowri chinthamani2 , a classical Siddha Mercurial preparation was processed using the
various samples of above processed mercury.All the four samples of Gowri chinthamani
were subjected to acute toxicity3 study at Vel’s college of pharmacy,Pallavaram.
RESULTS OF XRF FINDINGS OF MERCURY
ELEMENTS
Sr Sr Sr Sr
PRESENT
Rb Rb Rb Rb
Pt Pt Pt Pt
P P P P
Os Os
Hg Hg Hg
Hg (95.82%)
(98.58%) (98.38%) (98.39%)
Fe Fe Fe Fe
S S S S
Cu Cu Cu
Cr Cr
Cl Cl Cl Cl
Cd Cd Cd
Au Au Au Au
Al Al Al Al
Ca Ca Ca Ca
Mn Mn Mn
ELEMENTS
Os Os Cu
REMOVED
Mn Cr
Cd
Cr
DISCUSSION:
Conclusion:
When there is no modern technical advancement and
sophisticated analytical instruments, Siddhars, the Spiritual Scientist of Tamil Nadu were
able to disclose the fact that Vaal Rasam is the best kind of processed mercury for
therapeutic uses. All this modern technical parameters like XRF and acute toxicity study
help only to establish the fact which was already disclosed by Siddhars several century
before, in the terms by which modern scientific world can understand and appreciate the
knowledge of Siddhars in the field of chemistry (Metallurgy) and adopt Siddhar’s
sophisticated techniques of processing heavy metals for the welfare of the humanity by
ensuring drug safety.
Reference
Acknowledgement