A REVIEW ON THE ARTIFICIALLY PREPARED RASA DRAVYA IN INDIAN ALCHEMY

Gazala Hussain*

ABSTRACT

Ayurveda pharmaceutics deals with various dravya (drugs or raw materials) of varied origin like minerals, metals, marine drugs, gem stones, etc. The minerals that are explained in the treatises of Ayurveda pharmaceutics are naturally occurring ores, but at present one also get many artificially prepared compounds like blue vitriol, green vitriol, alum, litharge, etc. These artificially prepared drugs are also in use in formulations, but only after subjecting to proper shodhana (purification), marana (incineration) processes as mentioned in the texts of Indian alchemy. Research works on the therapeutic efficacy of artificial prepared drugs in comparison with the naturally occurring mineral have not been carried out; thus this area opens scope for exploration.

Keywords: Alchemy, Ayurveda pharmaceutics, mineral, artificial.