ANALOGY OF MODERN CHEMICAL PROCESSES WITH PRINCIPLES OF ‘RASA SHASTRA' OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE SYSTEM

Abstract

Ayurveda is basically a medical science but different branches of science were nurtured by it like biology, genetics, microbiology, clinical medicine, surgery, astronomy, pharmaceutics and metallurgy etc. In this traditional therapeutic system, various categories of formulations have been described in official and traditional literature. Similar to modern system of therapeutics, various units operations were adopted in developing various dosage forms to obtain the desired effect upto the optimum time. Every step has been explained in detail in traditional literature and sight modifications have also been mentioned in some texts. Besides these, numbers of metals, their alloys, metallurgy etc. have also been elaborated for the well being of the society. Hitherto, ‘Rasayan’ (chemistry) and the associated studies were also familiar in ancient time. Various chemical like common salt, alkali, borax and compounds of elements like Fe, Cu, Hg and Au etc., were commonly used from in that period and the techniques for making alloys of bronze, brass, and bell metal etc. were also very common. The applicability of natural preservatives like oil, salt and sugar were also much known in ancient time. However; the terms used as stated in traditional literature were not similar to modern time. Also, the alcoholic and acidic fermented products were prepared very commonly. The present study has been focused to assess the similarity of chemical terms mentioned in literature with modern science and technology.