Zinc Bhasma
Zinc ashYasada Bhasma (Ayurveda)
Ti Tsha Thal (Tibet)
Minerological name:
Zincum, Cadmia
Parts used:
Zinc ash
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Bitter, Sweet (Neutral in Tibetan Medicine)
Zinc Bhasma principally settles Kapha (Phlegm) and Pitta (Bile)
Classification:
Uses:
1. Strengthens Kidneys, Restrains Essence:
–chronic and obstinate Urinary diseases including Diabetes
–Spermatorrhea
–Leukorrhea
–Nourishes Sperm, thickens Seminal fluid, prevents Premature Ejaculation
–Chronic joint disease including Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
2. Nourishes Blood, Benefits Eyes:
–very useful in Eye diseases (used internally and topically) (Calamine is generally preferred for this purpose; native Zinc oxide is used externally for this purpose in Ayurveda, and requires no further preparation or Bhasma)
–”Promoter of the Eye Sight” (Ayurveda)
–Blurred or failing vision (Tibet)
–topically for Conjunctivitis etc. (Ayurveda, Tibet)
–Anemia
–beneficial in Liver and Heart disorders (Unani)
3. Settles Wind, Stops Spasms:
–Serious Hiccough (Zinc oxide has been used for this purpose in modern medicine: BMJ, 1912)
–spasmodic Cough, Bronchial Asthma
4. Resists Poison:
–clears Toxins form the body (Tibet)
–neutralizes harmful effect of Mercury (Tibet)
Dose:
60–125mg (up to 250mg) twice daily, taken with Honey, Ghee or Cream.
Mixed with Ghee as a Collyrium for external application to the eye.
Purification of Zinc:
Any of the following Ayurvedic methods may be used:
1. Zinc may first be processed as the general method for preparation of Metals (see under Gold Bhasma).
Next, a purification method specially for Zinc is used. This involves melting the Zinc in an Iron spoon. In a suitable metal jar is put sufficient quantity of Cow’s Urine. The mouth of the jar is covered with an earthen plate that has a hole in the middle. The molten Zinc is poured through this hole into the Urine. This process is to be repeated 21 times. It is then washed in warm water and dried, and is ready to be made into Bhasma.
2. Melt by adding a pinch of Ammonium Chloride, and pour in the Oil of Bassia latifolia seven times (Siddha)
3. Zinc is smelted in a laddle on fire, then dipped into Lime Water in an earthen vessel. This is repeated 7 times.
4. Zinc may also be purified by being melted, then poured into Milk 21 times. (This is often used in modern practise).
5. Zinc may be purified and ashed using the same methods used for Tin and Lead.
Preparation:
1. ZINC KUSHTA. (Unani)
In Unani, Kushta are formed being equivalent to the Bhasmas of Ayurveda. Despite the fact that the process has been derived from Ayurveda, the process is worth noting:
Zinc oxide 60 grams
Aloe juice 60 mls.
Triturate the Zinc oxide with the Aloe juice and form tablets weighing about 5 grams each, and dry them. Then they are sealed in clay pots and fired with 5kg of Cow dung cakes.
It is used for Spermatorrhea, Leukorrhea, thickens seminal fluid (to prevent premature ejaculation), and is of benefit in Liver and Heart disorders, as well as diseases caused by imbalance of Earth and Water (Balgam).
Dose: 6mg in Butter.
2. “Zinc should be melted in an iron pan. To this, equal quantity of the powder of bhang (Cannabis sativa) and Poppy pod should be poured in small quantities. While pouring this powder, zinc should be rubbed with the help of a strong iron spoon. When all the zinc gets reduced to asb, another iron plate should be kept over the pan and strong beat should be applied below till the iron pan becomes red hot. Thereafter, it should be allowed to cool of its own. It should then be washed for separating the ash of the powder added to it and dried. Then it should be triturated by adding the juice of kumari (Aloe barbadensis). Small cakes should be made out of the paste, dried in sun and kept in sarava samputa and cooked in gaja pula This process should be repeated for seven times”. (Rasamritam)
Main Combinations:
1. To strengthen the Kidneys, Bhasmas of Tin, Lead and Zinc (equal parts). This is used for Diabetes mellitus, Nocturnal emission, premature Ejaculation and Leukorrhea and all Sexual disorders
2. Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, Zinc BHasma, Turmeric, Withania, Boswellia
3. Collyrium for Chronic Eye diseases: “A Collyrium prepared of Licorice, Nymphoea nouchali, Cuttlefish bone, Cinnamon, Vetiveria zizanioides, solidified Cow Bile, Madder, Nardostachys jatamansi, White Sandalwood, Conch shell, Red Ochre, Abies webbiana, Berberis aristata and Zinc Bhasma, all in equal quantity, should be constantly applied”. (Tibetan Medicine)
Major Formulas:
Precious Wish Fulfilling Jewel (Rin chen ratna bsam ‘phel)
Cautions:
None noted
Main Preparations used:
Nothing at Present
Modern research in Rasa Sastra departments of modern Ayurvedic Universities has demonstrated that Zinc requires 700˚C heat for 1 hour, and the firing repeated 7–10 times to be completely free from free metal.
Low Zinc levels have been associated with the following conditions: SKIN DISEASES including acne, boils, ulcers, psoriasis, rough skin and slow healing wounds; SEX AND HORMONE CONDITIONS including dwarfism, poor or delayed sexual development in men, prostatitis, delayed or irregular menstruation, sterility; LACK OF HAIR, BRITTLE OR FALLING HAIR; NIGHT BLINDNESS, KERATITIS; lost or diminished senses of TASTE AND SMELL; POOR CIRCULATION, COLD EXTREMITIES; LOWER BODY JOINT PAIN; GASTRODUODENAL ULCERS, CROHN’S DISEASE; MENTAL PROBLEMS including hyperemotionalism, hyperactivity, various learning disorders, schizophrenia; SICKLE CELL ANEMIA; other chronic illness including CANCER, DIABETES, EPILEPSY and LIVER CIRRHOSIS.
Zinc Bhasma:
GENERAL / REVIEW:
–Investigating the Role of Classical Ayurveda-Based Incineration Process on the Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Based Jasada Bhasma Nanoparticles and Zn2+ Bioavailability.
–Physico-chemical characterization of traditionally prepared Yashada bhasma.
ANTI-FUNGAL:
–Zinc Bhasma showed ANTI-FUNGAL activity.
TESTICULAR PROTECTIVE:
–Zinc Bhasma was found to have superior effects in preventing TESTICULAR DEGENERATION and promoting TESTICULAR REGENERATION. It was tested similarly to Tin Bhasma (which see). (Singh, Thesis, Dept. Rasa Sastra, Instit Med Sci, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 1983)
DIABETES:
–Jasada bhasma, a Zinc-Based Ayurvedic Preparation: Contemporary Evidence of Antidiabetic Activity Inspires Development of a Nanomedicine.
–Zinc Bhasma was tested for its effects against HYPERGLYCEMIA in animals experiments and the results were encouraging. Prolonged exposure of 500mg/kg for 6 weeks showed Hypoglycemic effects. (Kulkarni & Gaitonde, Indian J Med Res, 1962)
HEPATOPROTECTIVE:
–Zinc Kushta demonstrated a PROTECTIVE EFFECT AGAINST CCL4 INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE at doses of 10mg/kg. It prevented rise in SGOT and SGPT levels and reversed depletion of Liver glycogen levels. (Abdullah et al., Proc First Internat. Conf Elements Health and Disease, WHO and Institute of History of Medicine and Medical Research, New Delhi, 1984)
CANCER:
–Anticancer activity of Yashada Bhasma (bioactive nanoparticles of zinc): A human pancreatic cancer cell line study.