Concept of manashila drug- a review
International Journal of Development Research
Concept of manashila drug- a review
Received 14th April, 2017; Received in revised form 24th May, 2017; Accepted 26th June, 2017; Published online 22nd July, 2017
Copyright ©2017, Bandeppa Sangolgi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Manashila, Haratala, and Somala are important arsenic compounds which are used in Ayurveda. Manashila is most popular among them. Manashila is commonly used in treating the diseases like Shwasa-Kasa, Agnimandya, Kshaya, Anaha, Jwara, Krimi, Visharoga, Raktavikara etc.Manashila is called as red arsenic with two molecules of Arsenic and two molecules of Sulphur (AS2S2). Manashila consumed without proper Shodhana causes Mandagni, Malabaddata, Ashmari and Mutra Krichra. Hence Shodhana of Manashila is essential. Shodhana is the process of removal of physical, chemical impurities and potentiating of the drugs. Generally Shuddha Manashila is not given alone. It is administered along with herbal drugs or an important ingredient in most of the popular formulations like Shwasakuthara Rasa, Rasa Raja Rasa, Trailokyachintamani Rasa etc. There are various Shodhana procedures explained for Manashila in Rasa classics like Rasa Ratna Samucchaya, Ayurveda Prakasha and Rasa Tarangini. There are three types of Manashila like Shyamangi, Kanaveeraka and Khandakya, which are superior in increasing order. So Khandakya is superior most and which also yields more Satva.
