Bhanupaka: A Green Process in the Preparation of an Indian Ayurvedic Medicine, Lauha Bhasma

Abstract

The use of lauha bhasma, a traditional Indian herbometallic preparation, is in vogue for centuries for the treatment of various ailments related to iron deficiency. The preparation of lauha bhasma requires strict adherence to time-consuming, well-practiced, multistage, and multistep procedures. One of the steps is the treatment of purified metallic ingredients with Triphala decoction (the aqueous extract of Indian gooseberry, Chebulic myrobalans, and Beleric myrobalans) in the presence of sunlight (Bhanupaka). The formation of metal complexes due to the reaction of the metallic ingredients with the constituents of Triphala decoction has been ascertained by FTIR spectroscopy and carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen analyses. Our results demonstrate that Bhanupaka is an essential step in the preparation of lauha bhasma.

Standard manufacturing procedure of Teekshna lauha bhasma

“…Hence, Fe supplements should contain Fe in the form of complex. The ultraviolet radiation present in the sunlight reduces the oxidation state of Fe in the presence of Vitamin C present in the Triphala decoction thereby improving the bioavailability [39] . In this process, more time is available for the reaction between Triphala and lauha churna , it causes an increase in the weight of lauha churna , which may be due to the addition of solid contents of Triphala kwatha .…”

Influence of microwave irradiation on kinetics and thermodynamics of extraction of flavonoids from Phyllanthus emblica

“…The microwave heats the liquid present in the solid rapidly and partitions the bioactive compounds between solid and solvent phases (Pérez-Serradilla and Luque de Castro, 2011). Water extract of dried fruits of P. emblica is used in the preparation of various Ayurvedic formulations, an example being Lauha bhasma -a herbometallic preparation (Krishnamachary et al, 2013). There has been no report on the application of microwaves for the extraction of flavonoids from fruits of P. emblica.…”

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“…In some metallic preparation bhavna dravya were used that cause chelating in its final product to give less toxic medicament (e.g. Triphalakwath in loha (iron) shodhan process chelates copper and iron and reduces UV-induced erythema) 25 . In bhasma preparation the herb used during processing as bhavnadravya also remain after bhasmikaran process that cause agglomeration with metallic medicament and probably encircled it 26 .…”