Abstract

ANALYSIS OF PUBLISHED RESEARCH WORK ON RASASINDURA (RED SUPHIDE OF MERCURY): A CRITICAL REVIEW

Bhushan B. Mogal* and Abhay H. Patkar

Abstract

Rasasindura is a mercurial preparation widely used by Ayurveda practitioners therapeutically in various diseases. Being a mercurial preparation safety of this & other formulations is questioned on time to time by modern counterparts as metals in their elemental form are very toxic. Ayurvedic Mercurial preparations are constantly targeted due to lack of documentation and published works. Till date several research works have been carried out at institutional level on Rasasindura. Aim of the present work is to compile such research works done on Rasasindura all over India. Various analytical studies revealed yield of Rasasindura ranging from 11.70% to 92.52% and can be prepared in 6 hrs to 168 hrs. Analytically RS is reported to be Mercury sulphide with crystals size & % Mercury ranging from 10-50 nm & 82-85% respectively associated with several organic macro molecules and trace elements in different amounts. In-vitro study reveals moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity of Rasasindura. Safety of Rasasindura was established through in-vivo acute and sub-chronic toxicity studies. Efficacy of Rasasindura was found in various diseases with significant decrease in signs and symptoms.

Keywords: Rasasindura, Mercury sulphide, kupipaka, mercurial preparations.