Mercury Purification

Siddhar’s Methods Of Processing Therapeutic Mercury J.P.Venthamarai selvi 1 , M.Krishnaveni 1 , S.Tamil selvi 1 , J.Anbu .2

Introduction: Siddha system of medicine is one of the ancient traditional systems of the world. Siddhars are the Spiritual scientists of Tamil Nadu.

Mercury which is considered as a deadly poison is made into a life saving medicine by Siddhars using various processes.

Siddha metallurgy is unfathomable.

Siddhars used Mercury as a powerful medicine in treating intractable disease.

Mercury, is widely used in Siddha medicine.

Mercury, a killer poison, is

converted into healing nectar, when properly purified and processed. Siddhars used Mercury not only to cure innumerable diseases, but also to rejuvenate the body and promote longevity.

Siddhars never used raw Mercury as such for therapeutic purposes.

They

properly processed Mercury by adding certain organic juices and subjected it to various processes of sodhana and marana before using it for medicinal preparations.

The

method of processing mercury for therapeutic purposes is known as RASA SUTHI in Siddha system of medicine. 1 2

Department of Gunapadam, Govt.Siddha Medical College, Arumbakkam, Chennai-106.

Department of Pharmacology, Vel’s college of Pharmacy, Old Pallavaram, Chennai600117.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

1 To explore the chemical changes in Mercury before and after Rasa Sudhi. 2. To analyse the changes in mercury occuring during various stages in the process of Rasa Sudhi done by three different Siddha classical methods.

3. To estimate the toxicity of Siddha Medicine (Gowri chinthamani) prepared using various sample of Mercury processed by different Siddha methods in common practices. 4. To evaluate the best method of Rasa Sudhi (Among the three commonly practiced methods).

PURPOSE OF PURIFICATION RASAM means MERCURY IN SIDDHA. RASASUDHI means THE METHOD OF PURIFICATION AND OF

THERAPEUTIC

PROCESSING MERCURY.

Rasa Suthi means, not only the removal of impurities from Mercury but it involves

1.

Removal of physical and chemical impurities

In nature Mercury is seldom available in its physically and chemically pure form. The contamination is natural and it takes place in the mine itself. Often contamination takes place knowingly or unknowingly during the process of extraction, storage, preservation and distribution.

All this extraneous material are to be removed and

Mercury should be obtained in prescribed form for obtaining the desired therapeutic effect.

2.

To make the metal free from toxicity

Metals, even in their physically and chemically pure form might produce adverse effects because they are inorganic in nature and they are heterogeneous to the body tissue. By impregnating and triturating with organic material, like juices, decoctions of herbs etc., they are made homologous to the tissue cells and their toxicity is reduced and acceptability to the cell is increased. During this process certain organic and inorganic materials are added to Mercury, which helps to increase its medicinal efficacy and safety.

3. Make the metal suitable for Maaranam (killing)

Metals used as such are heterogeneous to the body tissue and it will not be possible for them to get assimilated in the cell of the tissue to exercise their prescribed therapeutic effe cts. So it must be reduced to a fine state of division which would be homologous with the composition of the cells on which Mercury has to act to produce the therapeutic effect.

This fine state of metal is achieved by repeated trituration or

pulverizatio n.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SAMPLE: 1 (Hg -I ) Marketed Mercury. SAMPLE: 2 (Hg –II) 1

350gms of Raw mercury is poured into the kalvam. Then it

is ground with brick powder and turmeric powder for one hour respectively. Mercury is separated and washed with water. Then mercury is boiled with 13litres of Kuppaimaeni (Acalypha indica) juice and then washed with water. SAMPLE: 3(Hg –III) 1 500gms of Cinnabar (ore of Mercury) is powdered and mixed with 2kgs of Kodivaeli (Plumbago zeylanica) root bark. The above mixture is placed in a mud pot and the mouth is covered with another mudpot. The mouth of the pots is sealed

with mud smeared cloth and is dried. It is heated for three hours and is allowed to cool. The Mercury is accumulated in the inner side of the upper pot and is collected carefully. This mercury is called Vaal Rasam in Siddha.

SAMPLE: 4 (Hg-IV) 32.5gms of Purified Veeram (Mercuric Chloride) is added to 500gms of mercury and ground for one hour. 20ml of Lemon juice is added to the above and finely ground for 24 hours. Then it is washed with water and mercury is collected. (It is now in practice at CRI,Arumbakkam,Chennai-106.)

The above four samples of mercury are subjected to semi quantitative analysis using x-ray fluorescent(XRF) spectrometer at Sophisticated analytical instrument facility , Indian Institute Of Technology ,Madras. The elements present in four samples of mercury are screened .The results of the findings are given under the heading results and observation. Gowri chinthamani2 , a classical Siddha Mercurial preparation was processed using the various samples of above processed mercury.All the four samples of Gowri chinthamani were subjected to acute toxicity3 study at Vel’s college of pharmacy,Pallavaram.

RESULTS OF XRF FINDINGS OF MERCURY

Multi Elemental Composition Of Various Samples Of Mercury

SAMPLE ELEMENTS ADDED

ELEMENTS PRESENT

ELEMENTS REMOVED

Hg-I

Hg-II

Hg-III

Hg-IV

Si

Si

Si

Gd Er

Ni Na Zn W K Mg

Sr

Sr

Sr

Rb Pt P Os Hg (98.58%) Fe S Cu Cr Cl Cd Au Al Ca Mn

Rb Pt P

Rb Pt P

Hg (98.38%) Fe S Cu Cr Cl Cd Au Al Ca Mn Os

Sr

Rb Pt P Os Hg Hg (95.82%) (98.39%) Fe Fe S S Cu Cl Au Al Ca

Cl Cd Au Al Ca Mn

Os

Cu

Mn Cd Cr

Cr

DISCUSSION:

Mercurial Preparations are the powerful weapons of Siddha pharmacological armamentarium. At the same time a lot of noise is being produced by a section of bio medical scientists about mercurial toxicity. As such it is the bounden duty of the Siddha doctors to remove such fears by the application of modern technological methods. The findings of X ray fluorescent Spectrometric analysis of mercury processed using various herbs by different methods reveal that the mercury, used by Siddhars for preparing medicines are not 100% pure mercury. But processed mercury used for Siddha pharmacological preparations contain multi compositions of 15-18 elements along with mercury.

Acute Toxicity Study of Gowri Chinthamani prepared using various processed mercury reveal that Gowri chinthamani I prepared using market mercury showed toxic signs at 50 mg/kg and death reported at 500 mg/kg. Gowri chinthamani II Prepared using mercury (processed with Turmeric and Acalypha) showed toxic signs at 500 mg/kg and death reported at 2000 mg/kg. Gowri Chinthamani III prepared using mercury (processed with Plumbago zeylanica roots) showed toxic signs at 2000 mg/kg and death reported at 2500 mg/kg. Gowri chinthamani IV prepared using mercury (processed with lemon juice) showed toxic signs at 500 mg/kg and death reported at 1500 mg/kg.

Conclusion: When there is no modern technical advancement and sophisticated analytical instruments, Siddhars, the Spiritual Scientist of Tamil Nadu were able to disclose the fact that Vaal Rasam is the best kind of processed mercury for therapeutic uses. All this modern technical parameters like XRF and acute toxicity study help only to establish the fact which was already disclosed by Siddhars several century before, in the terms by which modern scientific world can understand and appreciate the knowledge of Siddhars in the field of chemistry (Metallurgy) and adopt Siddhar’s sophisticated techniques of processing heavy metals for the welfare of the humanity by ensuring drug safety.

Reference 1. Gunapadam part II and III. 2. Agasthiyar Vaidhya kaaviyam-1500. 3. OECD (2000) Guidance document on acute oral toxicity, Environmental health and safety monograph series on testing and assessment No 24.

Acknowledgement The authors are grateful to Prof.P.Jeyaprakash Narayan M.D(Siddha),the former vice principal Govt.Siddha Medical College, Arumbakkam,Chennai-106,for his guidance ,Prof.G.Ganapathy M.D(Siddha),the joint director Indian Medicine and Homeopathy

and Prof.S.PandiPerumal M.D(Siddha), the principal Govt.Siddha

Medical College, Arumbakkam,Chennai-106, for his encouragement .