Bhasma and Churna
Content
• Definition of bhasma and churna
• Method of preparation of Bhasma and
churna
• Characteristics of bhasma and churna
Objective
At the
end of this lecture, student will be able to
• Define bhasma and churna
• Explain the method of preparation of
Bhasma and churna
Bhasma
Bhasma is a powder of the substance obtained by
calcination
Ø Metal, mineral and animal products are calcinied
in closed crucibles in pits with cow dung cakes by special process
Method of Preparation:
Sodhana
Marana
Sodhana:
Ø Sodhana is a purification process, it is a
medicinal purification
Ø Chemical
purification eliminates only foreign matter, but Sodhana aims
– To eliminate
harmful matter from the drug
– To modify
undesirable physical characters of the drug
– To enhance
the therapeutic activity of the drug
Types of Sodhana:
Samanya sodhana : Heating of thin sheets of metals by
immersing in
taila /
gomutra
Visesa sodhana : Four types
Ø Bhavana
– Grinding with special decoctions
Ø Svedana
– Convert drug into a poultice
Ø Nirvapana
– Incinerating to red hot and dipping into taila
Ø Mardana
– Triturating /rubbing with some dravyas
Marana
Ø Purified
drug obtained from sodhana is placed in kalva
Ø Ground
with specified quantities of kasaya/swarasa
Ø Resultant
material is made into small cakes
Ø Size
and thickness of the cakes – Heaviness of the drug
Ø Heavier the drug thinner are the cakes and
vice versa
Ø Cakes
are dried and placed in a shallow earthen plate and closed with another
Ø Edges
are sealed with a clay smeared cloth in seven consecutive layers and again
dried
Ø A
pit is dug in an open space
Ø Half
of the pit is filled with cow dung cakes
Ø Earthen
plates holding the cakes of metal/mineral is placed on cow dung cakes
Ø Pit
is then completely filled with cow dung cakes
Ø Cow
dung cakes are set fire all the four sides and also in the middle of the pit
Ø After
burning allowed to cool
Ø Earthen
plates are removed and seal is opened
Ø Contents
are ground again in kalva into a fine powder
Characters: Bhasma should comply the following
Ø No
metallic luster
Ø Float
on cold water
Ø Not
revert to original state
Ø Very
fine, so that it get easily to the finger lines when taken between index finger
and thumb
Ø No
characteristic taste
Storage:
Ø Should
be stored in airtight glass/earthen containers
Ø Retain
its potency indefinitely
Examples:
|
Example |
Use |
|
Svarna |
Hrudroga |
|
Rajata |
Jvara, |
Churna
Churna is a fine powder of drug or drugs
Method of preparation:
Ø Drugs
are cleaned and dried properly
Ø Finely
powdered and sieved
Conditions:
Ø When
more than one drug, each drug is weighed separately according to the formula,
powdered and sieved
Ø As
some drugs contain more fibrous matter, separate powdering, sieving and mixing
is preferred
Ø Certain
drugs like camphor, salt and sugar are
to be powdered separately and mixed at the end
Ø Drugs
like asafoetida are roasted, powdered and mixed at the end
Ø Drugs
which are to be taken in the fresh conditions like satavari, guduchi etc are
made in to paste, dried and then added to the rest
Characters:
Ø Should
be a very fine powder of at least 80# sieve
Ø Should not be sticky
Storage:
Ø Should
be stored in airtight containers
Examples:
|
Example |
Use |
|
Jataphaladya |
Atisara |
|
Karpuradi |
Svasa, |
Summary
Ø Bhasma
– calcination process
Ø Metal,
mineral drugs
Ø Sodhana
and marana
Ø Sodhana
– medicinal purification, Bhavana, svedhana, nirvapana and mardana
Ø Kalva,
cakes, sealed with clay smeared cloth
Ø Pit,
cow dung cakes, fire, cool, grind into a fine powder
Ø Churna
– fine powder of drug/s, dried, sieved and finely powdered
Ø Conditions
for preparing churna