Int J Ayu Pharm Chem - Gangasheelayurvedacollege

Int J Ayu Pharm ChemRESEARCH ARTICLEwww.ijapc.come-ISSN 2350-0204Hingulottha Parada: A Traditional Mercury Extraction MethodAnamika Shukla1* and Jyoti Singh21Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana,Gangasheel Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital,Bareilly, U.P., India2Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana,Kunwar Shekhar Vijendra Ayurveda Medical College&Research Centre,Shobhit University,Saharanpur, U.P., IndiaABSTRACTRasahastra, is said to be a divine science in the field of Ayurveda. It is the science of makingformulations of mineral origin for therapeutic use. Parad i.e. liquid silver is the backbone ofthis science. Hingulottha parad i.e. extracted parad (mercury) from Hingula (Cinnabr) is aspeciality of this science i.e. Rasashastra. Hingulottha parad is said to be like Ashtasanskaritparad and no purification is required further. Hence, this extraction method keeps a very bigimportance in the field of Ayurveda. Hingula (cinnabar) is the most prominent ore of mercurysince ages. To obtain quicksilver (parad) from Hingula,so many methods and principles hpatana(downwardsublimation),Tiryak patana(Transverse sublimation).Here Urdhwapatana method is appliedfor extraction of mercury from Hingula by the Damaru yantra,which is discussed in this paper.In the present study extraction of mecury from Hingula was done three times, % of Hingulotthaparad was 41.67% .The cause of less percentage of mercury may be due to unavoidable reasonslike heating pattern or non-dissociation of mercury from Hingula by this method which is notclear. The object of this paper is to present an insight into extraction process and the discussionof its utility and limitations of this method.KEYWORDSRasahastra, Hingula, YantraGreentree Group PublishersReceived 25/02/19 Accepted 08/04/19 Published 10/05/19Shukla and SinghInt J Ayu Pharm Chem 2019 Vol. 10 Issue 3[e ISSN 2350-0204]2019 Greentree Group Publishers IJAPCwww.ijapc.com120

INTRODUCTIONgroup3. It is identified as CinnabarRasashastra i.e. Ayurvedic pharmaceuticschemically, which is red sulphide ofwhich is divine in pharmaceutical as well asmercury. The acceptable variety of Hingulaclinical aspects. This science initiated the(which has therapeutic potential) are-likeconcept of clinical efficacy of Ayurvedared colour of japakusum(Hibiscus rosadrugs at low dose, without any specificsinensis),smoothlytaste1. It is a branch of Ayurvedic scienceappearance and heavy4.whichofOn burning of Hingula, mercury vapour ismedicines,liberated, which after sublimation parad iswiththeobtained. For this scientific rationalityclassicalPatana yantras were designed, dependingpurifications, incineration methods. Paradaupon collection of sublimed mercury. Here(mercury) is the life of this divine science.methodMercury is considered to as the supremesublimation apparatus) is adapted withdrug out of all Rasoparasa, dhatu etc2. Itthe help of damaru yantra(instrumentinitiated the special treatment modality inresembles the damaru of God Shiva) forAyurveda as Rasachikitsa (treatment withparadnishkasan(extraction of mercury) asthe help of Mercurial products) which wasper reference of Ayurved Prakash 2/83-85.taken as divine treatment as well. HingulaThe Hingulottha Parad is considered asis considered as the ore of mercury as wellsuperior to ordinary parad as it has noas included in Sadharan rasa group ofdoshasRasashastra. Hence Hingula has dualextraction process. Various methods whichimportance as an ore of mercury as well aswere applied for parard nishkasan hadmedicinal effect in Indian alchemy. Thedifference in yield like Nada yantra methodpractice of extraction of mercury fromhas 73%5, Damaru yantra has between 40-Hingula(cinnabar) is a traditional concept45% Parad extracted6. Here, in ourwhich is practiced today also. Theprocedure three times damaru yantraextraction methods vary as per classics.method was repeated for extraction ofEach extraction process has difference inmercury to get an idea about the yield byprocedure as well as yield of mercury alsothis method.which needs revalidation. Hingula is theMATERIALS AND METHODSseventh mineral drug of Sadharan rasaHingula fterShukla and SinghInt J Ayu Pharm Chem 2019 Vol. 10 Issue 3[e ISSN 2350-0204]2019 Greentree Group Publishers IJAPCwww.ijapc.com121

Hingula was purified by the method ofnext day, seal was opened and the mercuryBhavana(trituration)was collected with precautions. Raw Hingula-300g Nimbu swarasa(lemon juice)-Q.S.Same procedure was repeated two moreHingula was taken in a mortar and wastrituratedwithlemonjuicetillpill forming stage) .It was then allowed todry in the mortar itself.Two mud pots of same size were taken andkept immersed in water for sometimes. Itwas then dried and applied the paste ofmultani mud and dried to close all the poresof muds to avoid spilling of mercury via thepores of mud. The shodhit Hingula was putin the lower pot in the form of powder andupper pot was kept inverted above lowerpot. Now, the mouth of both pots weresealed by sandhibandhan (sealing ofjoints).The sandhibandhan was done for 7times. After each sandhibandhan, it waswholeOBSERVATIONS1. During Bhavana with Nimbu swarasa,the Red shiny Hingula was converted into aParad nishkasan(Extraction of mercury)Nowtimes.theattainment of subhavita lakshanas(smoothdried.Extracted mercury-125gDamaruyantraapparatus was put on fire of coals andstarted giving the fire to the lower potcontaining pure Hingula. During heating,meanwhile thick cold wet towel was put onupper pot base to allow sublimation ofmercury on the inner side of base of upperpot. This procedure was continued for 3hours. After giving fire for 3 hrs,damaruyantra was allowed for self-cooling. On thereddish shineless powder.2. Hingula became more soft aftershodhana(purificton)3. During collection of Parad,the residue inthe inner side of upper pot was black incolour and parad was procured from that.PRECAUTIONS:1. The sealing of mouth of mud pots shouldbe done in a proper way to avoid thebreaking of joints during heating,2. The cooling of upper pot intermittently isrequired to get the free mercury on the innerside of base of upper pot.3. Pores of both pots should be closedproperly with the help of mud to avoidspilling of mercury.4. The magnitude of heat is important factorfor the dissociation of Hingula whichshould reach upto 6000c, so heating shouldbe maintained in this way for properdissociation of Hingula.5. The collection of mercury from abovemud pot should be done in such a way soShukla and SinghInt J Ayu Pharm Chem 2019 Vol. 10 Issue 3[e ISSN 2350-0204]2019 Greentree Group Publishers IJAPCwww.ijapc.com122

that maximum yield of mercury can beobtained.DISCUSSIONThe Hingulottha parad is considered as thepurest and Ashtasanskarit one in Rasaclassics.Urdhwapatanamethodwasadapted here. Various gatis (movements)are responsible for proper collection ofmercury which was tried to be avoidedduring the procedure.CONCLUSIONHingulottha parad may be considered as abetter option to bypass the process ofAshtasamskara of Parada which is a verytedious job in the context of mercury. Also,the loss of mercury is more duringAshtasamskara which can be minimise omtimeduration for extraction process is less ascompared to Ashtasamskara and samanyashodhan of parad .Hence, it can beconcluded that Hingulottha parad is a timesaving and authenticated form of mercurypharmaceutically as well as therapeutically.Shukla and SinghInt J Ayu Pharm Chem 2019 Vol. 10 Issue 3[e ISSN 2350-0204]2019 Greentree Group Publishers IJAPCwww.ijapc.com123

REFERENCES1.AcharyaSiddhinandan radahindicommentary,Chaukhambhaorientalia,Varanasi ,ed chayaofRasavagbhatta,Vigyanbodhini hindi commentary,Mehardas laxmandaspublications,New Delhi,ed chayaofRasavagbhatta,Vigyanbodhini hindi commentary,Mehardas laxmandaspublications,New Delhi,ed Mehta N.J.et al ,Standard al journal of AyurvedicMedicine,2010,2(1),27-366. Nalini R.Hedaoo et al rnational journal of Ayurvedaand Pharma Research ,Dec 2015,Vol3,Issue 12Shukla and SinghInt J Ayu Pharm Chem 2019 Vol. 10 Issue 3[e ISSN 2350-0204]2019 Greentree Group Publishers IJAPCwww.ijapc.com124

Int J Ayu Pharm Chem 2019 Vol. 10 Issue 3 www.ijapc.com 120 [e ISSN 2350-0204] Int J Ayu Pharm Chem RESEARCH ARTICLE www.ijapc.com e-ISSN 2350-0204 ABSTRACT Rasahastra, is said to be a divine science in the field of Ayurveda. It is the science of making