Tourmaline

Schorl is the black variety
Vaikranta (Sanskrit)
Di Qi Shi (TCM)
Picture Photo: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com

Minerological name:


Tourmaline; Boron aluminosilicate

Parts used:


Prepared stone
There are various colored Tourmaline but only black is used in medicine.

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry. Pungent, Bitter, Salty. Tourmaline is said to have all 6 tastes in Ayurveda.

Properties:


Crystal system: Trigonal
Color: Black
Streak: Colorless
Cleavage: None; prismatic faces striated vertically
Fracture: Uneven
Luster: Vitreous
Tenacity: Brittle; sometimes friable
Hardness: 7-7.5
Specific Gravity: 3-3.2
Has Pyroelectric and Piezoelectric properties.
Not affected by acids

Constituents:


Sodium iron aluminum boro-silicate hydroxide (Na(Fe,Mn)3Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3(OH,F))
In descending order: Silicon, Iron, Sulphur, Boron, Calcium with traces of C, O, Na, Mg, Al, K, Cr, Mn and Zn

Uses:


1. Nourishes Yin, Benefits Essence:
-In Ayurveda it is classed as a Rasayana (Tonic to the 7 Body Tissues) and said to alleviate all 3 Dosas (Humors)
-makes the body strong; good for diseases of old age.
-Weakness, Anemia, Chronic and obstinate Illnesses including Tuberculosis.
-Sterility, Seminal disorders
-Obstinate Urinary diseases including Diabetes.
-used as a substitute for Diamond Bhasma in Ayurveda.

2. Clears Heat and Damp, Resists Poison:
-Fever.
-Jaundice, Syphilis and Gonorrhea
-Obstinate Abdominal Diseases including Ascites

3. Benefits the Lungs, Relieves Cough:
-Cough, Bronchitis, Dyspnoea;
-Chronic Lung disease including Tuberculosis.
    
4. Calms Mind and Spirit:
-eases Nervousness, calms the Mind
-aids Concentration, Intellect and Wit.
-traditionally used for a sense of Dread.
-traditionally used to Protect from Evil


Dose:


125–250mg of the Bhasma (Ayurveda)

Comment:


Tourmaline is often found in Diamond mines, and when turned into Bhasma, it is used for similar purposes to Diamond Bhasma. In modern times Tourmaline is often used as a substitute for Diamond Bhasma in Ayurveda.

Preparation:


It is used in the form of Bhasma.
To purify Tourmaline: It is boiled in Dola Yantra for 3 hours with a Decoction of Dolichos biflora. It is then submitted to Bhasma.

Main Combinations:



Cautions:


1. Standard cautions for using Gem stones.
2. According to the Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India it should not contain more than the following limits of Heavy metals and Arsenic: Lead 11 ppm; Arsenic 4 ppm, Cadmium 2ppm.

Main Preparations used:



1. Physico-chemical study of Vaikrānta bhasma.
2. “Studies on identification of ‘vaikranta’ used in ayurveda”.