DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCESS (SOP) OF GANDHAK SHODHANA AS PER AYURVED PRAKASH
Dr. Sathe Ninad*, Dr. Punde Ashish, Vd. Hardas Shweta and Vd. Sukhada Joshi
ABSTRACT
Shodhana is a process by which physical and chemical impurities are removed from a particular substance. Shodhana also makes the substance easy to digest and facilitates better absorption through effective metabolism. Mercury, to be used as an ingredient in a formulation, had to be treated with other metals and minerals. Gandhak (Sulphur) is an important element in purification (shodhana) and further processes of mercury and in its formulations as well. Ayurved Prakash is one such treatise that compiles various methods of purification of Gandhak. In present study, gandhak (S) was procured from market and its purification was done according to the classical reference of Ayurved Prakash using cow milk and cow ghee. It was analysed by XRF at various stages and found to have gandhak (S) 99.41%. The other impurities were potassium (K) (0.11%), calcium (Ca) (0.30%) and iron (Fe) (0.18%). Also, this impure gandhak (S) was analysed by gravimetric method. The other impurity was found to be of selenium (Sn) (126.6mg/lit). It was observed that 100% gandhak (S) was obtained at the end of 2nd purification itself. All the impurities were transferred to cow milk as the traces were found in XRF. Hence, it might be concluded that purest form of gandhak (S) can be obtained after 2nd purification process mentioned in classical text of Ayurved Prakash.
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