This document discusses Ayurvedic formulations including arishtas, asavas, avalehas, ghritas, churnas, tailas, gutikas, and bhasmas. It provides details on the ingredients, processes, and examples of each type of formulation. The key steps involve purification of ingredients, followed by mixing with liquids or oils and processing through fermentation or heating to extract medicinal properties in a stable, non-toxic form.

1. AYURVEDIC FORMULATIONS
ARISHTAS AND ASAVAS
Preparations containing self generated alcohol
Alcohol: a. Act as Extraction Medium
b. As preservative
Adding the drugs either in
1. Powdered form.
2. Kasayas.
with a solution of sugar/jaggery for a stipulated period of time.
Fermentation occurs during the process and alcohol generated.
Fermentation initiator- Dhataki Pushpa
(Woodfordia fruticosa flowers)

2. • Arishtas (Fermented decoction)
• Arishta (definition by Bhavprakash samhita) • The formulations
which are prepared with the use of pakvaushadha siddha; earlier
prepared (cooked) medications like herbal infusions or decoctions
Drugs are coarsely powdered and Kasaya or decoction is prepared
by boiling the drugs in water.
Kasaya is kept in an earthern pot previously fumigated with Pippali
Churna and Ghee.
Sugar/Jaggery are added to the solution and dissolved.
Additional drugs or Dravyas mentioned in the formula are
powdered and added.
Woodfordia fruticosa(Dhataki Pushpa) are added.
The mouth of the pot is covered with the earthern lid and the edges
are sealed with a clay smeared cloth in seven consecutive layers.
The pot is kept either in an underground cellar or under a heap of
paddy.
So during fermentation procedure, constant temperature and
atmosperic conditions ensured.

3. • The contents are examined for completion of
sandhana process and arishta is filtered and
bottled.
• Filtered arishta should be clear and without
any froth (foam) at the top.
• It should not become sour on standing.
• It has characteristic, aromatic and alcoholic
odour.
• Examples: Ashokarishta, Kutajarishta,
Dashmularishta, Vidangarista, Arjunarishta,
Ashwagandharishta

4. • The fermentation vessels are subjected to
dhoopana, a process of fumigation to prevent the
growth of naturally occurring microorganisms
that may contaminate or hamper the process of
fermentation.
• Molasses or powders of crude drugs like Indian
valerian, agaru (Aquilaria agallocha), chandan
(Santalum album), marich (Piper nigrum, Black
pepper) and such are sprinkled on hot embers
and burnt to fumigate.
• • These crude drugs may contain volatile oils that
have antibacterial, antiseptic action thereby
providing a specific eco- system similar to present
day sterilization procedures.

5. • Lepana – Why Smearing and Coating Process? • The
fermentation vessels are porous to outside air that may
affect fermentation process.
• • Process to smear and coat the inner surface of the
fermentation vessel is prescribed to edge out such
adverse effects.
• • Ghee, honey or cow‟s urine are used as base with
herbs like Pippali (long pepper) Chavya (Piper
retrofractum), Priyangu (Callicarpa macrophylla) made
into the form of paste that is smeared evenly to
provide a coat on the inner surface of the fermentation
vessel.
• • Such a coat forms protective layer to prevent any
unwarranted interaction between the fermentation
material and outside air. Most ingredients used for
smear have pungent or sharp attributes.

6. • Arishta (Fermented decoction)
• Filtered arishta should be clear and without
any froth (foam) at the top.
• It should not become sour on standing.
• It has characteristic, aromatic and alcoholic
odour.
• Examples: Ashokarishta, Kutarishta,
Dashmularishta, Vidangarista, Arjunarishta,
Ashwagandharishta

7. • Asava (Definition by Sushruta)
The medication which is prepared by mixing
together different kinds of medicinal juices,
decoction, jaggery (molasses) and flowers of
dhataki (Woodfordia fruticosa) in an earthen
vessel buried deep into a heap of grains for
flavoring and to initiate fermentation.

8. • Asava (Fermented infusion)
• Required quantity of water and jiggery or sugar is
taken, boiled, cooled and transferred to
fermentation vessel or barrel.
• Finely powdered crude drugs and other
ingredients as mentioned in the formula are then
added to it .
• The container is covered with the lid and edges
are sealed with clay smeared cloth, wrapped in
seven consecutive layers. Normally the vessels
used for processing of asava are placed in
cellar(basement) of a specific period in order to
facilitate sandhana (fermentation) process

9. • Asava (Fermented infusion)
• The contents are examined for completion of
sadhana process and asava is filtered and bottled.
• Filtered asava should be clear and without any
froth (foam) at the top.
• It should not become sour on standing.
• It has characteristic, aromatic and alcoholic odour.
• Examples: Kumariasava, Punarnavasava,
Chandanasava, Arvindasava, Kanakasava,
Madhukasava

10. • Avaleha (Jam/Paste like products)
• Avaleha or leha is a semi solid preparation of
drugs prepared by addition of sugar, jaggery(gur)
or sugar candy and boiled with prescribed drug
juice or decoction.
• Jaggery-gur or sugar candy is dissolved in liquid,
boiled and strained.
• The powdered drugs in small quantities are added
and stirred continuously to form homogenous
mass.
• Ghee or oil is added when preparation is hot.
• Examples:
Chyawanprash, Kutakavaleha, Drakshavaleha,
Vasavaleha, Bilvadileha, Surnava leha

11. • Ghrita (Medicated clarified butters)
• The preparation in which ghee is boiled with
the prescribed quantity of the decoction
(kasaya) and fine paste (kalka) of the drug as
specified in the formula.
• The process of preparation of ghrita ensures
the absorption of the therapeutically active
constituents of the drugs used in the
preparation.
• Ghrita solifies when cooled. It has colour,
odour and taste of the ingredients used in the
preparation.

12. • Ghrita (Medicated clarified butters)
• Ghrita are preparation for internal
consumption and are stable for about 16
months.
• Normally they are taken along with warm
vehicle (water or milk).
• Examples: Asokaghrita, Nirgundi ghrita,
Brahmi ghrita, Sukumara ghrita, Pippalyadi
ghrita
• It can be preserved in glass, polythene or
aluminium containers.

13. • Churna (Powders)
• Fine powder of drug or drugs is known as
churna.
• Drugs mentioned in patha, are cleaned
properly, dried thoroughly, pulverised and the
sieved.
• The churna is free flowing and retains potency
for one year, if preserved in air-tight
containers.
• Examples: Triphala churna, Sudarshan churna,
Trikatu churna, Drakshadi churna, Sitopatadi
churna

14. • Taila (Medicated Oils)
• They are called sneha kalpa/paka and
prepared by cooking oil with the juice or the
decoction and paste of drugs.
• Unless otherwise specified, paste of drug
should be 1/4th part of the oil and the liquid
(drava) should be 4 times of oil.
• If no liquid is specified in recipe, water should
be used.

15. • Taila (Medicated Oils)
• For preparing medicated oil, the fine paste of
drug, liquid and oil together, cooked, stirred
constantly to the paste at the bottom and
prevented from getting charred.
• When medicated taila gets properly cooked,
large amount of foam appears at the surface
of the oil.
• Therefore the formulation should be strained
prior to packing.

16. • Taila (Medicated Oils)
• If salt or any alkali preparation is added to the
recipe, it should be after the oil is strained and
mixed thoroughly.
• Tailas can be used internally and topically.
• They retain potency for about 16 months.
• They are taken internally with warm water or
warm milk.
• Examples: Bhrinraj taila, Mahanarayan Taila,
Anu taila, Jyotismati taila

17. • Gutika (Pills)
• It is in the form of pills. They are made by
using single or combinations of vegetable,
mineral or animal drugs.
• These preparations can be used up to 2 years.
Pills with minerals can be used indefinitely.
• These formulations should not loose their
original colour, odour, taste and form on
standing.

18. Gutika (Pills)
• They should be kept away from moisture, if they
contain salt, ksara or sugar.
• Examples: Lasunadi gutika, Pranda gutika, Khadiradi
gutika
Detoxification of Formulation
• Ayurveda involves the use of drugs obtained from
plants, animals, and mineral origin.
• All the three sources of drugs can be divided under
poisonous and nonpoisonous category.
• There are various crude drugs, which generally possess
unwanted impurities and toxic substances, which can
lead to harmful health problems. •

19. Detoxification of Formulation
• The detoxification or purification process of any
toxic material used for medicinal purposes is
termed as “Śodhana”.
• Śodhana (detoxification/purification) involves the
conversion of any poisonous drug into beneficial,
nonpoisonous/nontoxic ones.
• It is cited in the treatises of Ayurveda that by
proper processing, viṣa can be converted into
amṛta (nectar) and on other hand on adoption of
inappropriate methods, nontoxic materials
become a toxic.

20. • Detoxification of Formulation
• Aconitum species, Strychnos nux-vomica, Acorus
calamus, Abrus precatorius etc., are some of the
interesting examples of toxic plants, which are
still used in the Indian system of medicine.
• Aconitine, strychnine, β–asarone, abrin are some
of the toxic components present in these plants
and are relatively toxic in nature.
• Śodhana process involves the purification as well
as reduction in the levels of toxic principles which
sometimes results in an enhanced therapeutic
efficacy.

21. Various sodhana process includes
1. Simple boiling with water or lemon juice
2. Triturating with borax
3. Swedana (heat treatment with liquids)
4. Treating with cows urine
5. Treating with cow milk
6. Frying with cow ghee or castor oil

22. • Detoxification of Formulation
• Objectives of Sodhana
1. To prepare herbomineral preparations
2. To enhance safety
3. To enhance Potency
4. To decrease the toxicity
5. To produce synergistic effects with other plant
materia

23. • Bhasmas
• Animal derivatives such as horns, shells, feathers,
metallic and nonmetallic minerals are normally
administered as Bhasma.
• A Bhasma means an ash obtained through incineration.
The starter material undergoes an elaborate process of
purification (shodhana), followed by the reaction
phase, which involves incorporation of some other
mineral and herbal extracts.
• Then the material in pellet form is incinerated in a
furnace. The end product is expected to be a nontoxic
material.
• Examples are Swarna Bhasma, Shankha
Bhasma, Tamra Bhasma etc.

24. • Gold in tradition Indian ayurvedic medicine
as Swarna Bhasma. (gold ash) has been
characterized as globular particles of gold (56-57
nm). Mercury compound contains mercury
sulfide (crystalline size 25-50 nm)
• The name Bhasma is generally applied to all
metallic and nonmetallic substances that are
subjected to the process of incineration and
reduction into ash.
• Here it is applied to the scientific basis for
ayurvedic therapies metals, minerals, and animal
products that are, by special processes,
calcinated in closed crucibles in pits with cow
dung cakes (puttam).

25. • Steps used to prepare Bhasmas
• Shodhana
• In Ayurveda, purification is called Shodhana.
• Shodhana is the process through which the
external and internal impurities of metals and
minerals are removed.
• The following processes are involved:
• Elimination of harmful matter from the drug
• Modification of undesirable physical properties of
the drug
• Conversion of some of the characteristics of the
drug to different stages
• Enhancement of the therapeutic action.

26. • The general preparation of Swarna Bhasma involves
the three processes of shodhana, dravana,
and marana.
• The leaves of gold are heated over fire and dipped in
sesa (Sesamum indicum) oil when its red hot, process is
continued seven times separately. The soft leaves are
processed with buttermilk/cow's urine and the
decoction of kulattha (Dolichous biflorus), kanji (sour
gruel processed from rice [Oryza sativa]), and radish
(Raphanus sativus). Finally the leaves are dried by heat.
• The mixture is triturated and the paste thus obtained is
dried under sunlight. The process of triturating and
drying under sunlight is repeated 7 to 14 times using
fresh aliquots of latex, and the final product is
obtained.

27. • Marana
• Marana is basically a burning process or calcination.
• The purified metal is placed into a mortar pestle and
grounded with the juice of specified plants
or kashayas, mercury (in metallic state), or a
compound of mercury such as mercury perchloride
(sauviram), an amalgam of sulfur and mercury (kajjali)
for a specified period of time.
• The metal that is intended for marana is known as a
primary metal (pradhandhatu); the other metal, which
is taken in small proportions for the marana of the
primary metal, is known as secondary metal
(sahayadhatu).
• Marana differs with the nature of the substance to be
calcinated

28. • For example, organic substances such as herbs
are burnt in open air, whereas inorganic
substances such as metals like rajata (silver)
are burnt in closed containers.
• Marana of inorganic substances is
called puta and the process of marana of
herbs in closed freshly made containers is
known as puta-paka.
• Bhasma obtained by marana from primary
metals together with herbs (mulika) are
called Mulikamarita Bhasma.

29. • Yashada Bhasma
• Yashada Bhasma is specially processed with
zinc. It is administered in sprue, diabetes,
leucorrhea and hyperhidrosis
• Sankha Bhasma is a powder prepared from
the calcinated conch shell. It consists mainly
of calcium, iron and magnesium. Sankha
Bhasma is well known for its antacid and
digestive properties. It is useful in
hyperchlorhydria, sprue, colic and
hepatosplenomegaly

30. • Copper (Tamra) Bhasma
• Tamra Bhasma is used as a single drug and also in
combination with many medicinal plant juices and then
repeated calcinations performed with air so that the
metallic state is transformed into the corresponding oxide
form, which is traditionally known as Bhasma.
• Tamra Bhasma is used for the management of liver
disorder, arthritis, old age disorders, leukoderma, etc
Abhrak Bhasma
• Abhrak Bhasma is prepared by treating biotite (mica) with
the juices of a number of re-constituent plants that make it
a powerful cellular regenerator. It is a commonly used
ayurvedic drug against many diseases including hepatitis
(hepatoprotective).
• It is also a nervine tonic and is widely used in respiratory
tract infections and anemia. It contains iron, magnesium,
potassium, calcium, and aluminum in trace amou

31. • CHARACTERIZATION OF BHASMA
• Physical characteristic
• Color (Verna): A specific color is mentioned for
each Bhasma. Bhasmas are generally white, pale, or
red. The color of the preparation primarily depends on
the parent material.
• Lusterless (Nishchandratvam): Bhasma must be
lusterless before therapeutic application. For this
test, Bhasma is observed under bright sunlight
whether luster is present are not, if luster is still
present, it indicates further incineration.
• Lightness and Fineness (Varitara): Bhasma floats on
stagnant water surface. This test is based on law of
surface tension. Properly incinerated Bhasma need to
float on water surface.

32. • Tactile sensation: Tactile sensation can be
absorbed and assimilated in the body without
producing any irritation to mucous membrane
of gastrointestinal tract
• Particle size: Prepared Bhasma should be in
powder form. Particle of Bhasma should be
like pollen grains of Pondanus
odoratissimus flower (ketaki rajah).

33. • Chemical characteristic
• Apunarbhavata: It means incapability to regain
original metallic form. For this test Bhasma is
mixed with equal quantity of seeds of Abrus
precatorius, honey, ghee, borax then sealed in
earthen pots and heated with similar grade of
heat. Thereafter particular Bhasma is observed
on self-cooling.
• Niruttha: Niruttha is to test inability to regain
metallic form of metallic Bhasma. In this
test Bhasma is mixed with a fixed weight of silver
leaf and kept in sealed earthen pots, then similar
grade of heat is applied and after self cooling, the
weight of silver is taken. Increase in weight of
silver leaf indicates improperly prepared Bhasma.

35. • Varitaratavam: When a small quantity is
spread on cold and still water, it should float
on the surface
• Apurnabhava: The Bhasma should not revert
to the original state
• Tasteless: Bhasma should be tasteless
• Avami: The Bhasma should not produce
nausea on administration.