Preparation and Physicochemical Characterization of a Metal Based Traditional Medicine: Suvarnarajvangeshwar by Modern Analytical Tools

The medicines used in the Ayurveda are prepared by using parts of plants, animals, minerals and metals. The present study involves a medicine prepared by using tin and mercury metals. In Ayurveda, the metal tin is termed as vanga and mercury as parada. Suvarnarajvangeshwar is a rasa prepared by kupipakwa method, described in Indian traditional books. In the modern scientific literature tin and mercury are known for their toxicity. In Ayurveda, this medicine is widely used against urinary tract infections and other abnormalities since thousands of years. In the present study an efforts are made to study the medicine by using modern analytical instruments. The study involves physicochemical characterization of the medicine prepared in the laboratory and two samples collected from local manufacturers. These samples were subjected for the analysis by modern analytical methods such as Scanning electron microscope, Electron dispersive X ray scanning and X-ray diffraction along with simple analysis such as pH, electrical conductance and solubility. The study shows variation in the physicochemical properties for the samples taken for the study. Which shows urgent need for the standardization of the preparation methods and materials used for the preparation of medicines?