Ayurvedic herbal and herbo-mineral preparations are used to treat chronic diseases without side effects. Bhasmas are a unique Ayurvedic preparation made by purifying metals/minerals through processes like sodhana and marana, involving calcination. They are assessed through physical and chemical parameters to ensure safety and efficacy. Other Ayurvedic dosage forms discussed are churnas, tailas, lehyas, arishtas and asavas which are herbal formulations having distinct methods of preparation.

1. NARESH GORANTLA M.Pharm.., (Ph.D)
Assoc.prof
BALAJI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
ANANTHAPURAMU

2.  It is a science that deals not only with
treatment of some diseases but is a
complete way of life.
Derived from two words
 Ayur = life
 Veda = Knowledge

3.  Ayurvedic herbal and herbo-mineral
preparations are used for the treatment of
chronic and degenerative diseases without
any side-effect.
Main drawback of allopathic system is its
side effects, high cost of drugs, and lack of
curative treatment for chronic diseases
and reoccurrence of disease after
stoppage of medication.

4. As per the WHO, about three-quarters
of the world’s population currently use
herbs and other forms of traditional
medicines to treat their diseases.
Herbal products are natural and
people believe it as a safe medicine.

5.  Formulations of Ayurveda are herbal,
mineral, metal and animal origin, which are
processed pharmaceutically for their
therapeutic effects.
Herbo mineral formulation uses the metals
and minerals for chronic disorders in
different combinations, dosage forms and
at various levels of purities.

7. As per the reported data, there are so
many herbo-mineral formulations available
in market which is useful in anemia,
diabetes, cancer, liver diseases, skin
diseases etc

9. Bhasmas
Churnas
Tailas
Lehas
Asavas
Arishtas

10. Bhasma is an ash obtained by calcinations
of metals.
It is a unique preparation of Ayurveda with
extracts of herbs and metals in combination
which functions best when converted from
their original metals to metal oxide forms.
It is prepared by calcinations of metals in a
closed crucible in pits and with cow dung
cakes.

11. Bhasmas are biologically produced nano-
particles and are taken along with milk,
butter, honey or ghee.
This enables these elements easily
assailable, eliminating their toxic effects
and enhancing their biocompatibility .

12. It is prepared from purified minerals,
metals, marine and animal products.
Bhasmas can be prepared in two stages
• Sodhana
Samanya sodhana (applicable to a large
number of metals or minerals), and
Visesa sodhana (applicable to certain
drugs and in certain preparation)
• Marana

13. What is sodhana???
The process of purification is called
Sodhana.
It is aimed to remove harmful impurities
present in the drug or sometimes
modification of undesirable physical
properties of the drugs.
It helps in enhancement of the therapeutic
action and thereby increases the potency
of drug.

14. What is Marana??
Marana which means metals and
minerals are made into paste with
various drugs and juices.
It is essentially the burning process or
calcination.
It is subjected to fire treatment in a
measured manner for reducing them
to ashes.

15. Bhasmas are classified based on their
color and appearance.
Scientifically they are classified based on
their dominant metal and mineral groups,
such as
Rajata bhasma (silver),
Tamra bhasma (copper),
Loha bhasma (iron) etc.

16. Bhasmas are generally yellowish, black,
dark, white, gray, reddish black and red,
depending upon the predominant drug as
well as the other drugs used in the process
of Marana.
They are stored in air tight container (glass
or Plastic) and maintain their potency
indefinitely.

17.  Physical parameters: To assess the
fineness, lightness and consistency.
 Varitara – Small quantity is spread on cold
water, it should float on the surface.
 Rekhapurita – When taken between the
index finger and thumb, it should be so fine
as to get easily into the finger lines.
 Slakshanatvam – Observing the bhasma for
the formation of lumps that’s due to
adhesiveness.
 Susuksma – Test for fine particle size

18. Chemical parameters: To assess the
chemical changes in compound.
 Varna – Test for change in color.
 Gata Rasatvam – Bhasmas should be taste less and
it should not possess any metallic taste.
 Nishchandratvam – Chandratva (lustre) is a
character of metal. Bhasmas should be free from
lustre after proper incineration.
 Apurnabhavata – This test is done to ensure that
the Bhasma is completely formed and it does not
come back to its original state when heated along
with Dravaka gana. The properly formed Bhasma
should not return to its metallic form.

19. Churna is a fine powder form of drugs.
All the herbs and other active ingredients are
cleaned, dried and powdered together by
mechanical means to the fineness of at least
80 mesh.
Rasayana Churna is a traditional Ayurvedic
formulation, which comprises dried powders of
three well known drugs:
 dried stem of Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia Miers.),
dried
 fruit of Gokhru (Tribulus terrestris Linn.) and
 dried pericarp of Amalaki (Emblica officinalis
Gaertn.) in equal proportion

20. According to Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical
science, Churna preparations remain potent
up to two months, after which they start
degrading gradually losing their efficacy.
Nevertheless, they don’t become de-
efficacious to that much level that can’t be
employed for therapeutic uses.
So, storage condition becomes a most
important aspect which affects on shelf-life of
the product.

21. The following parameters were considered
for evaluation of Churnas.
Organoleptic characters like colour,
odour and taste.
Physico-chemical parameters like Loss
on drying, pH, Total ash, Water soluble
extractive value.
Microbial load

22. Color: Five gram Churna was taken into
watch glasses and placed against white
background in white tube light. It was
observed for their color by naked eye.
Odour: Two gram Churna was smelled.
Taste: A pinch of Churna was taken and
examined for it’s taste on taste buds of the
tongue.

23. Determination of loss on drying:
Loss on drying was determined by weighing
about 2gm of the powdered material in
previously weighed dried petridish.
Dried in an oven at 105-110 ºC, till two
consecutive weights, which do not differ by
more than 5mg.
The weight after drying was noted and loss on
drying was calculated.
The percentage was expressed as % w/w with
reference to air dried sample.
It should not be more than 10 %

24. Determination of pH:
1 % of Churna in distilled water after
sonication is used for measuring pH with the
help of digital pH meter. (Limit is 5-7)
Determination of total ash:
1 g of Churna is incinerated in a previously
weighed crucible at gradually increasing heat
up to 500-600 ºC until it becomes black.
Then cooled in a desiccator and weighed.
The percentage of total ash was calculated
and expressed as % w/w of air dried material.
(Limit is 5-10 %)

25. Determination of water soluble extractive value:
 About 5 g accurately weighed Churna was
macerated in a glass-stopper conical flask using100
mL chloroform water for 6 h, shaking frequently.
 After 24 h it was filtered rapidly and 20 mL of the
filtrate was transferred into evaporating dish and
evaporated to dryness on a boiling water bath.
 Then evaporating dish was dried at 105ºC for 6 h,
cooled and weighed and percentage of water
soluble extractive was calculated and expressed as
% w/w with reference to air dried sample

26. Microbial load was carried out as per
standard procedure mentioned in Indian
Pharmacopoeia.
It includes
 Total bacterial count,
 Total Fungal Count,
 Presence of organisms like
 Escherichia coli,
 Salmonella species,
 Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
 Staphylococcus aureus.

27. Churna was packed in air tight food grade
plastic container having aluminum foil
covering.

28.  Tailas are medicated oils forming a group of drugs
in Ayurvedic system of medicine.
 The principle is to extract the therapeutic
compounds into oil. The method of preparation
requires heating of oil with prescribed kashayas
(decoction) and kalkas (powdered drug)
according to formula.
 The tailas have the color; odor and taste of the
drugs used, and also have the consistency of the
oil.
 Generally they are used for abhyanga (external
application) some of them are also used
internally.

29. The term ‘taila’ is derived from the word ‘Tila’
which refers to the sesame seeds.
Usually in the preparation of taila sesame oil
is used excepting in a few preparations
where coconut oil (or) neem oil are used.
Rarely mustard oil, chaulmoogra oil etc., are
also used.
They are similar to ghirta, but are prepared
with oils instead of ghee.

30. Evaluation of Tailas includes the
1. Organoleptic parameters
 Color, odor, Appearance, Taste and oily consistency.
2. physicochemical parameters
 Specific gravity
Refractive index
Weight per ml
Acid value
Saponification Value
Fat content
Iodine number

31. It is a semi-solid preparation of drugs,
prepared with the addition of jaggery,
sugar or sugar candy and boiled with
prescribed drug juice or decoction.
Honey, if required, is added when the
preparation is cold and mixed well.

32. The essential components of lehyas are
1. Kasaya
2. Jaggery, sugar candy or sugar
3. Powders or pulps of the prescribed drugs
4. Ghee or oil
5. Honey

33. The method of preparation is as follows:
1. Preparation of Paka
2. Addition of powders or decoctions of
drugs with stirring.
3. Addition of Ghee or oil while mixing
4. Addition of Honey after the preparation
becomes cool.
The consistency should neither be too
dense or too viscous. When rolled
between fingers it should form pill without
sticking.
Lehyas should be used within one year.

34. Description
pH (Between 4.70–5.00)
Loss on drying (Not more than 28%)
Total ash (Not more than 2%)
Water-soluble extractive (Not less than
46%)
Acid-insoluble ash (Not more than 1%)

35.  Arishtas and Asavas are self-generated
herbal fermentations of traditional Ayurvedic
system.
They are alcoholic medicaments prepared
by allowing the herbal juices or their
decoctions to undergo fermentation with the
addition of sugars.
Arishtas are made with powdered drugs of
herbs in boiling water while Asavas are
prepared by directly using fresh herbal
juices.

36. Fermentation of both preparations is takes
place by the addition of a source of sugar
with dhataki (Woodfordia fruticosa)
flowers.
Fermentation can also done using jaggery
juice.

37. They are moderately alcoholic (up to 12% by
volume) and sweetish with slight acidity and
agreeable aroma.
Presence of alcohol in the preparation shows
several advantages, like
 better keeping quality,
 enhanced therapeutic properties,
 improvement in the efficiency of extraction of
drug molecules from the herbs and
 improvement in drug delivery into the human
body sites

38. The method of preparing asava and arishtas
is known as “sandhana kalpana” in Ayurveda.
General Methods used in the Extraction of
Medicinal Plants in asava and arishta are
Decoction and
Infusion.

39. This procedure is suitable for extracting
water-soluble, heat-stable constituents.
In this process, the crude drug is boiled in
a specified volume of water for a defined
time; it is then cooled and strained or
filtered.
Then extract is concentrated to reduce the
volume to the fourth of its total by
subjecting to evaporation.

40. Infusions are dilute solutions of the readily
soluble constituents of crude drugs.
Fresh infusions are prepared by macerating
the crude drug for a short period of time
with cold or boiling water.

41. Preparation of solution for fermentation.
Mixing of Drug decoctions to it in a
fermentation vessel.
Closing the vessel by complete sealing with a
cloth of seven layers.
Storing in a room with constant temperature.
Decanted to collect the liquid and allowed to
stand for three more days to allow the
particles to settle down followed by straining
again and bottled.

42. Organoleptic properties
 Color, odor, Taste and Appearance
Physicochemical properties
 pH (4 to 6)
 Specific gravity (1 to 1.2)
 Alcohol (6.5 to 12 %)
 Total solid content (NMT 10 %w/w)
 Acid value (NMT 1 %)
 Refractive index (1.35 to 1.55)
 Viscosity

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