Abstract

Ayurvedic system of medicine includes an important class of drugs of mineral origin under which there is as subclass known as ayurvedic bhasmas. These are derived from metals like gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, supreme medicines due to their extraordinary medicinal properties. However, according to the modern science, heavy metals referred above are difficult to absorb at cellular levels and therefore are toxic and harmful to human bodies. As against this according to ayurved, all these elements, after ayurvedic processes of bhasmikarana not only lose their toxicity but miraculous medicinal properties are induced when they are transformed into what is called as bhasma state. In an attempt to elucidate the exact nature of this bhasma state, we found that a genuine Ayurveda bhasma possesses two characteristics (i) extremely tiny particle size, tending to nano level of the order of 20-90 nm and (ii) attachment of organic components to these nanosized bhasma particles. These findings are expected to be useful to throw light on the medicinal potential of ayurvedic bhasma. On this point of view, this work is concerned with analysis and study of samples of lohabhasma by Infrared spectroscopy method.