Comparative Evaluation of Physical, Chemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Mercury and Cinnabar

Abstract

Herbo-mineral preparations have a special and significant role to play in the system of Ayurveda. These formulations include many of the metals viz., mercury, lead, arsenic etc., which are considered highly toxic by the modern concepts of medicine. These formulations have been compared to that of the environmental toxicity caused by many contaminants leading to severe health hazards. However, there is strong reasoning given by the traditional practices which incorporate these ingredients, as they have a systematic procedure that needs to be followed in the form of pre-treatment or Sodhana. This is a way of purification procedure which is aimed at changing the untoward effects, if any, of the ingredients, before being added into the formulation. History has documented many such procedures, by following which, none of the ill effects has been observed in the patients who have been administered these herbs-mineral formulations. Nevertheless, the exact scientific acumen behind such procedure has yet to be discerned and studies need to be undertaken to exactly understand the underlying mechanisms. The present study is one such effort at trying to comprehend the effect of these treatments on the physical and chemical properties of mercury and cinnabar, one of the significant metals used in Rasashastra. Also, to check the difference in the activity profile, microorganisms (four each of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria; and two fungi) have been considered and the effect of different samples of mercury and cinnabar on these microorganisms compared.

Keywords: Antimicrobial, Ayurveda, cinnabar, detoxification, mercury

Cite this Article

Neha Mahatme, Richa Gaude, Mythili Krishna Jeedigunta, Yogita Sardessai, Maria Pinto, Sarvesh Harmalkar, Yeriswami H., Sudhindra A.N., Reshma Yeranal, Mithun Bondre, Aditya Samant. Comparative Evaluation of Physical, Chemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Mercury and Cinnabar. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Pharmaceutical Science. 2019; 9(3): 9–23p