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In [[Ayurvedic medicine]], the compilation of traditional ancient Indian medicine practice is called '''Rasa shastra''', which details processes by which various [[metal]]s, [[Minerals]] and other substances, including [[mercury (element)|mercury]], are purified and combined with herbs in an attempt to treat illnesses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shrifreedom.org/alchemy.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114192941/http://www.shrifreedom.org/alchemy.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-11-14 |title=Rasa Shastra – Freedom Vidya |website=Shrifreedom.org}}</ref> Its methods correspond to the [[alchemy]] familiar in the Mediterranean and Western European worlds.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=qo0VPGr0RF4C&pg=PA26|title=Scientific Basis for Ayurvedic Therapies |date=2003 |isbn=9780203498583 |last1=Mishra |first1=Lakshmi C. }}</ref> Rasashastra is a pharmaceutical branch of Indian system of medicine which mainly deals with the metals, minerals, animal origin product, toxic herbs and their use in therapeutics.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Savrikar|first=S|last2=Ravishankar|first2=B|date=2011-07-15|title=Introduction to ‘Rasashaastra’- The Iatrochemistry of Ayurveda|url=http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajtcam/article/view/67955|journal=African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines|volume=8|issue=5S|doi=10.4314/ajtcam.v8i5S.1|issn=0189-6016|pmc=3252715}}</ref>

== History of development of Rasa Śāstra ==

The credit of developing Rasa Shastara as a stream of classical Ayurveda, especially in fulfilling its healthcare-related goals, goes to Nāgārjuna (5the Century CE).<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Savrikar|first1=SS|last2=Ravishankar|first2=B|title=Introduction to 'Rasashaastra' the Iatrochemistry of Ayurveda.|journal=African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines|date=2011|volume=8|issue=5 Suppl|pages=66–82|pmid=22754059|doi=10.4314/ajtcam.v8i5S.1|pmc=3252715}}</ref>

== Classical textbooks on rasa shastra ==

=== ''Rasendra Mangala'' ===
It was composed by Nāgārjuna Siddha in the Sanskrit language. P. C. Rây considered this work (which he erroneously called ''Rasaratnākara''<ref>{{cite journal|last=Wujastyk|first=Dominik|date=July 1984|title=An Alchemical Ghost: The Rasaratnâkara by Nâgârjuna|journal=Ambix|volume=31|issue=2|pages=70–83|doi=10.1179/amb.1984.31.2.70|pmid=11615977}}</ref>) to be amongst the earliest surviving alchemical works, perhaps from as early as the 7th or 8th century.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/b24871734_0002|title=A history of Hindu chemistry from the earliest times to the middle of the sixteenth century, A.D|last=Ray|first=Prafulla Chandra|date=1907|publisher=London : Williams and Norgate|others=Wellcome Library}}</ref> The text actually dates to the 12th century.<ref>{{Cite book|last=White|first=David Gordon|title=The Alchemical Body|publisher=Chicago|pages=166}}</ref> Rasendramangala originally comprised eight chapters, only four of which are found in the manuscripts available today. Manuscripts of the work are found at Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar, at Rajasthan Prachya Vidya Pratishthan, Govt. office Bikaner and elsewhere. An edition and translation was published in 2003.<ref>{{cite book|title=Nāgārjunaviracitam Rasendra Maṅgalam ... Anuvādaka Kavirāja Hari {Ś}aṅkara {Ś}armā = Rasendramaṅgalam of Nāgārjuna Edited with Aihore Hindiī Vimarśa, Bhāvānuvāva and English Translation and Notes (chapters 1–4)|publisher=Chaukhambha Orientalia|year=2003|editor-last=Śarmā|editor-first=Hari Śaṅkar|location=Vārāṇasī}}</ref>

=== ''Rasa Hridaya Tantra'' ===
It was created by Shrimad Govind Bhagvatapad, guru of Shankaracharya, around in the 10th century.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Meulenbeld|first=Jan|title=History of Indian Medical Literature|pages=616–621}}</ref> It contains elaborate description of ''dhatuvada'' ( metallurgical processes to transform mercury into higher metals as gold or silver). A Sanskrit commentary on this text was contributed by Shri Chaturbhuj Mishra under the name of ''Mugdhavabodhini.''

=== ''Rasarnava'' ===
Edited and published in 1908–1910.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Ras̄ārnavam: or the ocean of mercury and other metals and minerals|last=Kaviratna|first=Hariścandra|last2=Ray|first2=Praphulla Chandra|date=1910|publisher=Asiatic Society|location=Calcutta|language=en|oclc = 700001604}}</ref>

=== ''Rasa Prakasha Sudhakara'' ===
[[File:Yadav Ji Trikam Ji Acharya 2019 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|Acharya Yadavji Trikam on a 2019 stamp of India]]
It is a 13th-century text by Acharya Yashodhar Bhatt.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=A CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW ON RASA PRAKASHA SUDHAKARA {{!}} Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine (JAHM)|url=http://jahm.co.in/index.php/jahm/article/view/289|language=en-US}}</ref> It was first published by Acharya Yadavji Trikam in 1910. Its second edition was published in 1912 under guidance of Shri Jivaram Kalidas Vyas. It contains 13 chapters describing both Lauhavad (use of metallurgical processes to convert lower metals to higher metals), and Chikitsavad ( use of metals and minerals for therapeutic use). It also describes the origin of mercury, its properties, 18 samskaras (processing techniques) of mercury as well as the tools and techniques involved in them.

=== ''Rasendra Chudamani'' ===
It was created by Aacharya Somadeva approximately in 12th–13th century. It contains 13 chapters which give elaborate description of mercury and its processing for medicinal use; definition and description of equipments and ''Puta'' (temperature requirements and regulation during processing). It can be inferred that at the time of its creation the Gurukula system of education was prevalent as it contains description about ''Shishyopnayana samskara'' ( ritual performed at the time of admission ). Specific contribution of this text include high degree of organization followed during compilation and description of 64 ''divya-aushadis'' (drugs with miraculous effect) for the very first time.

==='' Rasa Ratna Samuccaya'' ===
It was created by Vāgbhaṭa, son of Vaidyapati Siṃhagupta, around the end of the 13th century or beginning of the 14th century. It contains around 30 chapters. It is considered one of the best treatises written in the field of Rasa Shastra. It contains vivid description of Yantras (tools, equipments), Puta (temperature related processing details), classification of metals and minerals into Rasa, Uprasa, Lauha, Dhatu, Updhatu etc. as well as their processing details. It also describes clinical aspects of Rasa aushadhis. However, it is not considered as an original text. Rather it is considered as a compilation of works of other Acharyas. Though it may contain some original work of Vagbhatta, but it is difficult to differentiate. It derives much of its contributions from Rasendrachudamani of Somadeva. Rasaprabha and Vijnanbodhini are two of the Hindi commentaries available. Saralarthprakashini is one of the Sanskrit commentary available by Sriyut Shastri Khare.

==Methods==
The methods of ''rasa shastra'' are contained in a number of Ayurvedic texts, including the ''[[Charaka Samhita]]'' and ''[[Susruta Samhita]]''. An important feature is the use of metals, including several that are considered to be [[toxicity|toxic]] in [[evidence-based medicine]]. In addition to mercury, [[gold]], [[silver]], [[iron]], [[copper]], [[tin]], [[lead]], [[zinc]] and [[bell metal]] are used. In addition to these metals, [[salt]]s and other substances such as [[coral]], [[seashell]]s, and [[feather]]s are also used.<ref>Mishra, p. 86</ref>

The usual means used to administer these substances is by preparations called ''bhasma'', [[Sanskrit]] for "ash". [[Calcination]], which is described in the literature of the art as ''shodhana'', "purification", is the process used to prepare these ''bhasma'' for administration. [[Sublimation (phase transition)|Sublimation]] and the preparation of a mercury [[sulfide]] are also in use in the preparation of its ''materia medica''. A variety of methods are used to achieve this. One involves the heating of thin sheets of metal and then immersing them in oil (''taila''), extract (''takra''), cow urine (''gomutra'') and other substances.<ref>Mishra, pp. 86–88</ref> Others are calcined in [[crucible]]s heated with fires of cow dung (''puttam'').<ref>Mishra, pp. 87–88</ref> Ayurvedic practitioners believe that this process of purification removes undesirable qualities and enhances their therapeutic power.<ref>Mishra, pp. 88</ref>

==Toxicity==
Modern medicine finds that [[mercury poisoning|mercury is inherently toxic]], and that its toxicity is not due to the presence of impurities. While mercury does have anti-microbial properties, and used to be [[Mercury (element)#Medicine|widely used]] in Western medicine, its toxicity does not warrant the risk of using it as a health product in most circumstances.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090507131958/http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp46.html Toxicological Profile for Mercury]. U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. March 1999</ref> The [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] have also reported a number of cases of lead poisoning associated with Ayurvedic medicine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5326a3.htm |title=Lead Poisoning Associated with Ayurvedic Medications – Five States, 2000–2003 |website=Cdc.gov |access-date=25 February 2015}}</ref> Other incidents of [[heavy metal poisoning]] have been attributed to the use of ''rasa shastra'' compounds in the United States, and [[arsenic]] has also been found in some of the preparations, which have been marketed in the [[United States]] under trade names such as "AyurRelief", "GlucoRite", "Acnenil", "Energize", "Cold Aid", and "Lean Plus".<ref>Hammett-Stabler, Catherine A. (2011) ''Herbal Supplements: Efficacy, Toxicity, Interactions with Western Drugs, and Effects on Clinical Laboratory Tests''. John Wiley and Sons. pp. 202–205. {{ISBN|0-470-43350-7}}</ref>

Ayurvedic practitioners claim that these reports of toxicity are due to failure to follow traditional practices in the mass production of these preparations for sale,<ref>Hammett-Stabler, Catherine A. (2011) ''Herbal Supplements: Efficacy, Toxicity, Interactions with Western Drugs, and Effects on Clinical Laboratory Tests''. John Wiley and Sons. pp. 205–206. {{ISBN|0-470-43350-7}}</ref> but modern science finds that not only mercury, but also [[lead poisoning|lead is inherently toxic]]. The [[government of India]] has ordered that Ayurvedic products must specify their metallic content directly on the labels of the product;<ref name="Valiathan06" /> however, M. S. Valiathan noted that "the absence of post-market surveillance and the paucity of test laboratory facilities [in India] make the quality control of Ayurvedic medicines exceedingly difficult at this time.<ref name="Valiathan06">{{cite journal|last=Valiathan|first=M. S.|title=Ayurveda: Putting the House in Order|journal=Current Science|volume=90|issue=1|pages=5–6|year=2006|url=http://www.currentscience.ac.in/php/toc.php?vol=090&issue=01}}</ref>

== See also ==
* The detoxification or purification process of any toxic material used for medicinal purposes is termed as “''Shodhana''”.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Maurya|first=SantoshKumar|last2=Seth|first2=Ankit|last3=Laloo|first3=Damiki|last4=Singh|first4=NarendraKumar|last5=Singh|first5=AnilKumar|last6=Gautam|first6=DevNath Singh|date=2015|title=Śodhana: An Ayurvedic process for detoxification and modification of therapeutic activities of poisonous medicinal plants|url=http://www.ancientscienceoflife.org/text.asp?2015/34/4/188/160862|journal=Ancient Science of Life|language=en|volume=34|issue=4|pages=188|doi=10.4103/0257-7941.160862|issn=0257-7941|pmc=4535066|pmid=26283803}}</ref> Historically ''Shodhana'' concept was in existence since the time of Charaka samhita as while enumerating the fundamentals necessary of changes in therapeutic attributes.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1893-09-23|title=CHARAKA-SAMHITA.|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1893.02420650031008|journal=Journal of the American Medical Association|volume=XXI|issue=13|pages=465|doi=10.1001/jama.1893.02420650031008|issn=0002-9955}}</ref> The concept has further developed after the development of Rasashastra in the field of Ayurvedic medicine. As in Rasashastra generally the metals/minerals and some time few drugs of poisonous nature are found used which are likely to contain some toxic effect also. Hence with a view to remove or minimize their toxicity and to make them suitable for further process a number of ''Shodhana'' procedures have been found evolved which are claimed helpful in reducing the toxic effect of these drugs.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dhirajsingh|first=Rajput|date=2013|title=Standard Operating Procedure of Naga Shodhana and study of chemical changes in the media and Shodhita Naga|url=https://www.aamjournal.in/fulltext/70-1358955120.pdf?1621931977|url-status=live|archive-url=https://www.aamjournal.in/fulltext/70-1358955120.pdf?1621931977|archive-date=Jan 2014|access-date=25 May 2021|website=[[Annals of Ayurvedic Medicine]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ayurveda}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rasa Shastra}}
[[Category:Ayurveda]]
[[Category:Alchemical traditions]]
[[Category:Alternative medicine]]

Rasa shastra - Revision history

imported>Scyrme at 17:57, 5 June 2021