Copper Bhasma
Copper ashTamra Bhasma (Ayurveda)
Zangs thal (Tibet)
Minerological name:
Cuprum
Parts used:
Copper ash
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Bitter, Sweet
Some Indian (and Tibetan) sources have claimed it to be Cool.
Copper Bhasma principally settles Kapha (Phlegm) and Pitta (Bile)
Classification:
Uses:
1. Clears Heat and Phlegm, Clears Pus:
–Bronchitis, Asthma
–Bronchiectasis, Tuberculosis
–Chronic Rhinitis
–Pus in the Lungs (and other organs)
–Pneumonitis
2. Clears Damp Heat, Opens Obstructions, Benefits the Liver:
–very useful for Liver diseases (Ayurveda)
–Obstruction of the Liver or Spleen
–Hepatitis (Tibet)
–Anemia
–Tumors
3. Clears Heat, Benefits the Stomach:
–Obstinate Abdominal diseases
–Gastric Ulcers
–Chronic Gastritis, Abdominal pain
4. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
–Edema, fluid retention
–Obesity, Ascites
–Gonorrhea
5. Clears Heat, Resists Toxin:
–Poisoning
–Chronic Fever
–Dysentery
–chronic Skin diseases including Leprosy
6. Kills Worms:
–used for Worms and Parasites
Dose:
30–60mg (up to 125mg according to some sources) twice daily with Honey, usually in combination with other medicines. Best given on an empty stomach but can be taken after food if there is nausea.
Diet during treatment should be Milk, Sugar, Rice, Bread or Ghee, but without anything Sour being taken.
Correctives:
Honey, Oil and Ghee (Unani)
Purification of Copper:
Copper has 8 defects which need to be eliminated, according to Ayurveda.
Any one of the following processes may be used:
1. Copper may first be processed as the general method for preparation of Metals (see under Gold Bhasma). Then a paste of Rock Salt and the milky latex of Calotropis gigantea is smeared over the Copper which is then heated and quenched in the juice of Vitex negundo. This is repeated 7 times.
2. Make Copper red hot in a furnace and dip in a solution made of the paste of the leaves of Moringa pteregosperma, quicklime and water, 7 to 21 times, or in the juices of Tamarind leaves, Acalypta indica, Butter Milk and Khadi (a type of Vinegar), 7 times in each. (Siddha)
3. Copper leaves are smeared with a paste made of Rock Salt and Lime juice; these are then heated and quenched in Barley gruel, this being repeated 8 times.
4. Copper leaves may likewise be smeared with a paste of Lime juice and Saltpeter, heated, then quenched in the juice of Vitex negundo, this being repeated 8 times.
5. Copper leaves are purified if they are boiled in Cow’s Urine for 3 hours on a strong fire; or they may be heated and quenched in the Urine a number of times.
6. It may also be heated and quenched several times in the juice of Oxalis corniculata.
Testing of Copper Bhasma:
While some processes recommend using only 3 putums (firings), modern research has demonstrated that usually 10 burnings are required to make good quality Bhasma.
Note that modern texts recommend testing Copper Bhasma as follows: a little of the prepared Copper Bhasma is put in a glass beaker with Lemon juice for 24 hours. If a green colour appears, further processing is required.
Preparation:
1. BHASMA 1
“Mix purified copper powder with equal part of Hingula (Cinnabar). Triturate with nimbu (Citrus medica var. acida) juice till paste is made. Prepare its pillets and dry them. Close them in Damaru yantra and apply strong heat. Collect the mercury from the upper part of the apparatus carefully and copper powder from lower part. Mix equal sulphur to this copper powder and triturate it with nirnbu (Citrus medica Var. acida) juice Prepare its pillets and dry, close in sarava samputa and apply Ardha gajaputa heat. Such two putas convert copper into bhasma form free from all the ill effects”. (Rasamritam)
2. BHASMA 2
Copper leaves are smeared with a paste made of Sulphur and Lemon or Lime juice. They are then dried, subjected to Putam, then powdered. This powder is mixed with a quarter its quantity of Sulphur, rubbed with Lime fruit juice, then again burnt in Putam. This last process is repeated 4 times; then the powder is rubbed with the juice of Citrus medica, and again subjected to Putam. Bhasma is then prepared.
3. BHASMA 3:
Copper, Mercury, Sulphur, all purified equal parts
The Mercury and Sulphur are formed into a Kajjali (a black Mercurial powder; see under Mercury) by triturating in a Mortar. This is then triturated with Lemon juice. This paste is then smeared over the leaves of purified Copper, and dried in the Sun. These are then put into 2 clay pans which are then sealed with 7 layers of clay soaked cloth, and dried in the Sun. This is then submitted to Gaja Puta.
When cool, the Copper leaves are removed from the earthen plates, mixed with a half quantity of purified Sulphur, and triturated with Lemon juice. From this, small cakes are formed, dried, sealed in pans and cooked again in Gaja Puta, as before. This process is repeated again. After the 3 burnings, the Copper Bhasma is black, and is ready.
4. TIBETAN BHASMA:
Copper is heated or burnt, then quenched, beaten fine, cut into small pieces, then washed in water. Then a paste of Brimstone and Saltpeter (Tsa La) soaked in Millet Wine is smeared over the copper pieces; the whole mass is wrapped in cloth, placed into a strong container, and put over a fire until the contents are burnt to ashes.
According to research, 10 putums (firings) are generally needed to form a good quality bhasma. If a muffle furnace is used, the temperature should be maintained at 600 degrees C. for 1 hour.
5. NECTARISATION of COPPER BHASMA. (Amrti Karana)
To aid in the preparation, enhancement of it medicinal qualities, as well as removing any residual negative qualities which may cause vomiting or dizziness (for example), Copper Bhasma is often submitted to another process called Nectarisation. Either of the following methods can be applied to any of the above Bhasmas.
i) The Bhasma is mixed with half its quantity of Purified Sulphur and all is rubbed with equal amounts of Cow’s Milk, Curd, Ghee, Honey and Sugar, then made into small discs. These are dried, then heated in Puta Paka 3 times.
By this process, Copper becomes free from its 8 defects and additionally acquires extra beneficial qualities.
ii) Copper Bhasma is triturated with lemon juice, formed into a bolus, and dried in the Sun. The Rhizome of Amorphophalus companulatus is cut in half and a hole is made which is large enough to hold the bolus. The rhizome is put together, covered with a half inch of mud, and dried in the Sun. This is then cooked in Gaja Puta. When it cools of its own accord the mud is removed and the bolus carefully extracted. Any greenish portion on the Bolus is scraped away. The remaining is powdered and repeatedly washed with warm water until the water is clear and there is no green or blueness in it. It is then sun-dried and kept for use.
This last process makes the Bhasma absolutely free from toxicity.
This may be used for the same purposes as the Bhasma; it is both much safer and much more effective.
Dose: 30–60mg.
Testing Copper Bhasma:
While some processes recommend using only 3 putums (firings), modern research has demonstrated that usually 10 burnings are required to make good quality Bhasma.
Note that modern texts recommend testing Copper Bhasma as follows: a little of the prepared Copper Bhasma is put in a glass beaker with Lemon juice for 24 hours. If a green colour appears, further processing is required.
Main Combinations:
1. Abdominal swelling and enlargement (including Ascites), Copper Bhasma is rubbed with Honey and Ginger juice, taken in the morning, in doses of 12 Barley kernels weight. This cures obstinate abdominal diseases (Udara Roga).
2. Abdominal pain, poor digestion, weakness of the digestive Fire, Copper Bhasma, Trikatu (Three Pungents), Conch shell bhasma, Alkali from Tamarind bark, Mica Bhasma, Aconite (as in Ksaravati)
3. Chronic Fever and Skin diseases, Copper Bhasma, Shilajit, Triphala, Bdellium, Plumbago, Iron Bhasma, Mica Bhasma (as in Arogyavardhini)
4. As a strengthening Tonic, Copper Bhasma, Iron Bhasma, Triphala, Shilajit, Mica Bhasma
5. Lung inflammation, difficulty Breathing, Coughing, Copper Bhasma, Chebulic and Beleric Myrobalans, Iron Bhasma, Boswellia, Coriander seed, Costus, Long Pepper, Tabasheer, Emblic Myrobalan, Safflower, Bezoar, Red and White Sandalwood, Pomegranate (as in Copper 25 of Tibetan Medicine)
Major Formulas:
Arogyavardhini
Copper 25 (Zangs thal nyer lnga)
Great Cold Compound Precious Black Pill (Tibetan)
Great Precious Hot Compound (Rin chen tsha sbyor chen mo)
Precious Wish Fulfilling Jewel (Rin chen ratna bsam ‘phel)
Cautions:
Copper Bhasma not properly prepared can cause Dizziness, Vomiting and Burning Sensations.
Toxicity:
1. No toxicity was noted when single doses of 1g/kg were given, or doses of 100mg/kg were given orally for 7 days. (Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Jan. 1982)
2. No toxicity was noted when a therapeutic doses (5.5mg/kg) and five times the therapeutic dose (27.5mg/kg) were given to rats for 28 days, however at 10 times the therapeutic dose, toxic effect on the Heart, Liver, Kidneys and Thymus were noted. (Chaudhari et al., J Ayurveda Integr Med, Mar 2016)
Main Preparations used:
Nothing at Present
GENERAL / REVIEW:
–Synthesis and characterization of Vanga bhasma.
–Standard manufacturing procedure of Tamra Bhasma.
–Preparation and characterization of a copper based Indian traditional drug: tamra bhasma.
ANTIOXIDANT:
–Toxicology and free radicals scavenging property of Tamra bhasma.
HEPATOPROTECTIVE:
–Effect of hepatoprotective ayurvedic drugs on lysosomal enzymes during hepatic injury induced by single dose of CCl4.
CHOLESTEROL:
–Effect of tamra bhasma (calcined copper) on ponderal and biochemical parameters.
PEPTIC ULCER:
–Copper Bhasma was found to be more effective against PEPTIC ULCER when compared with a pure Copper compound, and a mixture of the reported constituents of Copper Bhasma. The Anti-ulcer activity of Copper Bhasma was the most effective suggesting the processing used in traditional Ayurveda for the manufacture of Copper Bhasma to have an enhancing effect. In addition, it was demonstrated that Copper Bhasma continued to work for 5 days following administration. (Pandey et al., Indian J Exptl Biol, 1983)
HEMOPOETIC:
3. Copper Bhasma significantly INCREASES HEMOGLOBIN and RBC COUNT. (Dixit et al., Nagarjun, 1969)