17/11/2025
ЁЭРЖЁЭРЛЁЭРОЁЭРБЁЭРАЁЭРЛ ЁЭРВЁЭРОЁЭРНЁЭРВЁЭРДЁЭРСЁЭРНЁЭРТ ЁЭРАЁЭРБЁЭРОЁЭРФЁЭРУ ЁЭРЗЁЭРДЁЭРСЁЭРБЁЭРО ЁЭРМЁЭРИЁЭРНЁЭРСЁЭРАЁЭРЛ ЁЭРПЁЭРСЁЭРОЁЭРГЁЭРФЁЭРВЁЭРУЁЭРТ ( ЁЭРМЁЭРДЁЭРУЁЭРАЁЭРЛ ЁЭРПЁЭРСЁЭРДЁЭРПЁЭРАЁЭРСЁЭРАЁЭРУЁЭРИЁЭРОЁЭРН ) ЁЭРОЁЭРЕ ЁЭРАЁЭРШЁЭРФЁЭРСЁЭРХЁЭРДЁЭРГЁЭРА ЁЭРАЁЭРНЁЭРГ ЁЭРА ЁЭРПЁЭРАЁЭРУЁЭРЗ ЁЭРАЁЭРЗЁЭРДЁЭРАЁЭРГ ::
Modern views on the use of metallic Ayurvedic products, such as Bhasmas and Rasaushadhis like Siddha Makardhwaj (containing mercury, sulfur, gold, etc.), are a mix of appreciation for their therapeutic potential and caution due to concerns about safety, standardization, and scientific validation. These views came from research in pharmacology, toxicology, and integrative medicine, as well as regulatory perspectives. Therefore I am focusing this article on a very neglected area of Ayurvedic manufacturing practices in India.
*(1)**Standardization (Quality Control Issues )*тАФ-
Lack of standardization in manufacturing leads to variability in metal content and purity. For example, Studies show discrepancies in mercury levels (e.g., 35 - 454 ┬╡g/g in Siddha Makardhwaj) across commercial samples, raising concerns about consistency. The WHO and FDA have shown concern about *heavy metals in herbal medicines as a global concern,* showing needs for stricter quality control.
*(2)**Regulatory Position*тАФ
In India, the Ayush Ministry enforces Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Ayurvedic drugs, but enforcement is inconsistent and not up to mark. Internationally, countries like the U.S. and EU restrict heavy metal content in herbal products, limiting export and use. Modern researchers advocate for standardized protocols, including physico-chemical characterization (e.g., XRD ( Xray Diffrection Analysis ) & SEM (Scannial Electron Microscopy) for particle size and toxicity testing.
But In recent decade major advancements have been observed for all those analyses in world and our Analytical Laboratories. Now Analytical techniques like ICP-MS ( Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry ) and XRF ( Xray Fluorescence Spectroscopy ) are used to quantify metal content and ensure safety, coordinating Ayurveda with modern pharmacopoeial standards.
*PATH AHEAD :::*
aurvedic researchers argue that the traditional processing methods in Rasa Shastra , transform potentially toxic heavy metals like mercury, lead, arsenic, and others into bioavailable, therapeutic forms. These processes namely ( Shodhna- Purification ,Marna-Incineration , Bhavna - Levigation or Impregnation and Other Samskars as Transformation ) are said to enhance the medicinesтАЩ potency, zero toxicity, speed up their action, and allow for use at minimal levels (as some Ayurvedic Rasa formulations are claimed for antimicrobial effects).
In brief we can summarise this by concluding that these Rasa Aushadhees has been found effective on various ailments but main concern is the standard manufacturing process in which we are lacking.This is the high time that Ayurveda favouring government should make high standards and regulations for manufacturing of Herbal and Herbomineral Ayurvedic medicines so that our Ayurvedic products can cross Global barriers.Thanks ЁЯЩП