CHRONIC TOXICITY OF MERCURY IN MODERN AND AYURVEDIC VIEW

Abstract

Mercury or Parad (80Hg) is well known element due to its specific property and used in various field. It is naturally occurs in several forms include metallic (or elemental) mercury, inorganic mercury, and organic mercury. Due to the huge uses of mercury, it is rapidly comes in our environment. Mercury has various inorganic and organic Poisonous compounds like Mercuric chloride, Mercurous chloride, Mercuric sulphide, Mercuric sulphate, Mercuric cyanide, Mercuric nitrate, Methyl mercury, Dimethyl mercury and Phenil mercury. It leads to elevated blood mercury levels in the developing fetus or newborn child can cause a number of adverse health effects, including harm to neurological and hematological development. In adults, exposure can lead to memory loss and affect fertility and blood pressure. The chronic poisoning of Mercury called Hydrargyrism having symptoms like anorexia, insomnia, abnormal sweating, headache, lassitude, anemia, lymphocytosis, constipation or diarrhea, jaundice etc and some Specific disease like Mercurial erethism, Mercurial lentis, Acrodynia or pink disease, Minamata disease. In Ayurveda various doshas are mentioned in various Ras granthas which is seen in use of Ashodhit parad. It is also mentioned that the Shudh sanskarit Parad is not toxic and shows Rognashak property and act as medicine. So in the present era the toxicity of mercury is produced by the Ashudh form of mercury. Here discussing the symptom produced by the Ashudha parad and the symptom produced by toxicity of mercury and correlating them.