Jayram Hazra et al / IJRAP 3(6), Nov – Dec 2012 1 Review Article www.ijrap.net ARSENICAL COMPOUNDS IN AYURVEDA MEDICINE: A PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS Ashok Kumar Panda 1 and Jayram Hazra 2 * 1 Research Officer (S2), Director, National Institute of Ayurveda Drug Development, Sector-V, Bidhan nagar, Kolkota, India 2 A Unit of Central Council for Research in Ayurveda Sciences, Department of AYUSH, Ministry of H& FW, GOI, New Delhi, India Received on: 02/08/12 Revised on: 12/10/12 Accepted on: 03/11/12 *Corresponding author E-mail: akpanda_06@yahoo.co.in DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343. Published by Moksha Publishing House. Website www.mokshaph.com All rights reserved. ABSTRACT Haritala (Orpiment), Manashila (Realgar) and Gouripasana (White arsenic) are the three commonly used Arsenicals in Ayurveda and other codified traditional medicine of India for wide range diseases after Sodhana (Purification) and Marana (Calcification). Gouripasana (White arsenic) is now accepted in western medicine as first line chemotherapeutic agent against certain hematopoietic cancer. Malla sindura and Rasa Manikya are two derivatives of White arsenic and Orpiment respectively used in certain cases of cancer and solid tumor by the contemporary Ayurveda Practitioners and traditional healers of Northeast India. A systematic study on arsenical compounds in Ayurveda is not found as like Chinese traditional medicine , therefore a prospective study to analyze the different arsenicals used in Ayurveda, their purification, properties, formulation, pharmacology and therapeutics, toxicology as described in Ayurveda with modern understanding of biological responses, toxicology and detailed pharmacological studies were undertaken. The indications of Arsenicals in Ayurveda medicine are still remaining to be justified in the light of modern pharmacology. This study throws an idea where an Ayurveda clinician and patient can presume the risk in light of benefit. KEY WORDS: Realgar, White arsenic, Malla sindura, Rasamaniya, solid tumor, malignancy INTRODUCTION Ayurveda (The Science of life) is becoming more and more popular as alternative and complementary medicine around the globe over recent years 1 . There have been increased numbers of case reports being published of toxic metals poisoning such as Lead, Mercury and Arsenic after the use of Ayurveda remedies 2-4 which create a negative impact on public for the use of Ayurveda medicine 5 . The arsenical compounds have a long and remarkable history of pharmacological utilities and traditional practices 6 . The Arsenical compounds are intentionally added to the Ayurvedic formulations as main active ingredients or as auxiliary agent to assist the efficacy of herbal drugs. Clinical manifestation due to arsenic containing Ayurvedic medicines have also been reported from our country 7 . Various efficacy aspects and side effects of Arsenical compounds used in Ayurveda are scattered in classical texts of Ayurveda and modern literature 8-11 . Inorganic arsenic is now accepted in western medicine as first line therapeutic agent against certain hematopoietic cancers and other malignancies 12 . A systematic study on arsenical compounds in Ayurveda is not found as like Chinese traditional medicine, therefore a prospective study to analyze the different arsenicals used in Ayurveda, their purification, properties, formulation, pharmacology and therapeutics, toxicology as described in Ayurveda with modern understanding of biological responses, toxicology and detailed pharmacological studies was undertaken. The Indications of Arsenicals in Ayurveda medicine are still remaining to be justified in the light of modern pharmacology. This study throws a idea where an Ayurveda clinician and patient can presume the risk in light of benefit. Brief History of Arsenical in Medicines Arsenic is derived from Greek word arsenikon meaning “potent”. It is used as a poison and therapeutic agent from the ancient times. Susruta narrated about arsenical compounds (Phenasma) as metallic poison before 2000B.C.The external uses of Orpiment and Realgar in skin diseases are described in Charak Samhita (400B.C). But the extensive uses of Arsenics in Ayurveda found after 8th century after the development of Rasa Sastra as many derivatives of Arsenicals are found in therapeutics. The uses of Arsenicals in Siddha and Unani System of Medicine are also found in India. In ancient Chinese medicines, the use of arsenic can be traced back to 200 B.C. in Shen Nong Ban Cao Jing, the first traditional Chinese medicine book. Hippocrates (460 to 377 BC) used orpiment (As 2 S 3 ) and realgar (As 2 S 2 ) as ulcer healing remedy. Aristotle (384 to 322 BC) and Pliny the Elder (23 to 79 AD) also wrote about the medicinal properties of the arsenicals. Galen (130 to 200 AD) commended a paste of arsenic sulphide for the treatment of ulcers. Paracelsus (1493 to 1541) used elemental arsenic extensively. He is quoted as saying 'All substances are poisons ... The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy 13 . Pedanius Dioscorides (40-90 AD), a Greek physician famous for writing a five volume book De Materia Medica that is a precursor to all modern pharmacopoeias, used orpiment as a depilatory. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Jean de Gorris, a French physician, used arsenic as a sudorific, Angelus Salva against the plague, Rosinus Lentilius and Friceius as a treatment for malaria. Arsenicals were also largely used for medicinal purposes in traditional Chinese medicine in the regimens for psoriasis, rheumatic diseases and