Pharmasutical study of manashila W.S.R. to its various shodhana procedures

Ayurveda, the science of life is being practiced by Aryans from Vedic period. Kalpana is the process through which a substance can be transformed in to the form of medicine according to the need. Samskaras are to be done for potentiating the drug or the formulation. Among all these pharmaceutical processes Shodhana is one of them. For a single drug many process of Shodhana have been mentioned. Arsenic compounds are being popularly used in Ayurveda therapeutics since centuries. Manashila being important among them. Manashila is an important Rasayana Dravya and commonly used in treating the diseases like Shwasa-Kasa, Agnimandya, Kshaya, Anaha, Jwara, Krimi, Visharoga, Raktavikara etc. (Sri Vagbhatacharya et al., 1999) Manashila is called as red arsenic with two molecules of Arsenic and two molecules of Sulphur (AS2S2). Manashila consumed without proper Shodhana causes Mandagni, Malabaddata, Ashmari and Mutra Krichra4. Hence Shodhana of Manashila is essential after which it cures all the diseases (Ayurvedic Formulary of India, 2003). Shodhana is the process of removal of physical, chemical impurities and potentiating of the drugs (Sri Sadananda Sharma et al., 1989; Sri Vagbhatacharya et al., 1999). Shuddha Manashila is an important ingredient in most of the popular formulations like Shwasakuthara Rasa, Rasa Raja Rasa, Trailokyachintamani Rasa etc. There are various Shodhana procedures explained for Manashila in Rasa classics like Rasa Ratna Samucchaya7, Ayurveda Prakasha (Sri Sadananda Sharma et al., 1989) and Rasa Tarangini (Ayurvedic Formulary of India, 2003). Some works on Manashila has been carried out like its clinical aspect on Dhooma, Rasayana and Lepa. In these various studies only one Shodhana procedure by Ardraka Swarasa is done (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Ministry of health & family welfare Gov. of India) 1999). There are three types of Manashila like Shyamangi, Kanaveeraka and Khandakya ((The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Ministry of health & family welfare Gov. of India) 1999)), which are superior in increasing order. So Khandakya is superior most and which also yields more Satva (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Ministry of health & family welfare Gov. of India) 1999). For the present study Khandakya type of Manashila is selected. Various textual references of Manashila, will be collected from various classics and will be discussed. Manashila sample that has been selected for the present study will be qualitatively certified as per classical and modern analytical parameters. Various methods of Shodhana for Manashila explained in classics are collected and discussed. The present study includes Shodhana of Khandakhya Manashila as per Classical reference of Rasa Tarangini where Shodana of Khandakhya Manashiala is done by Churnodaka, Bhrungaraja Swarasa and Nimbuka Swarasa. Standard Operative Procedure of the process is done in the pharmaceutical study. The analytical study reveals the standards which can be given for Ashuddha Manashila and Shuddha Manashila of various Samples. The differences in the parameters reveal that there are some changes which give us the idea regarding role of a particular media in purification of a substance, where it adds some properties of the media used.