BHASMA AND NANO MEDICINE

Abstract

The Metals and Minerals are heavy, nonabsorbable and toxic substances. Metals are used as medicines in Ayurveda since from Samhita period in the fine powder form named as ‘Ayaskriti’¹. Latter with the development of ‘Marana’ technique (7^th Cent AD) the Metals and Minerals are converted in to very very fine and absorbable, therapeutically most effective and least or Nontoxic form of Medicines known as ‘Bhasma’². According to Ayurvedic concept the change in the qualities is due to ‘Samskara’ done through Shodhana, Bhavana, Putapaka procedures by which particle size of Metals and Minerals are reduced to finer and finer form of Bhasma.

The Bhasma particles when analyzed microscopically through SEM and TEM fall under the range of Nanoparticles of contemporary science.

Nano technology based on Nano science is the technology of 21^st century due to its wide range of application in Medicines, Automobiles, Computers, Clothes, communications, cosmetics, sports goods etc. In nano science the materials of very small dimension in the range of 1 to 100nm are studied. When atleast one of the dimensions of any type of materials is reduced below 100nm it’s mechanical, thermal, optical, magnetic and other properties change at some size characteristic of that material.

In this paper I have explained basic principle of change of properties of substances at their Nano level. The Mukta shukti bhasma & Swarna Bhasma when analysed through SEM they are in Nano particle size. Thus bhasma can be considered as Nano Medicine of Ayurveda. It is an attempt to understand and apply basics of Nanotechnology in Ayurvedic Pharmaceutics.