Raupya Bhasma or Rajat is a metallic Ayurvedia preparation of Raupya or Silver. Silver is also known as chandi and rajat. Raupya Bhasma is ash or oxide of silver and used to treat various diseases related to nervous system such as epilepsy, neuralgia, neuritis. It is also indicated in burning sensation in body, deranges vata and pitta, prameha, fever, debility, skin diseases etc. The appearance of Raupya Bhasma is greyish-black amorphous powder. In lab qualitative and quantitative analysis gave this compisition, Silver metallic 69.67%, Sulphur 14.805%, Ferric oxide Fe203 7.830%, Alumina (Al2O3) 2.25 %, cupric oxide (CuO) 0.89 %, Phosphate (P203) 1.08 %, Silica (SiO2) 1.160% , Lime (CaO) 0.88 % , Potash (K20) 0.141% , Soda (Na2O3 ) 0.054%, Sulphuric anhydride (S03) 0.935%, Moisture and other constituents 0.304%.
Uses of Raupya Bhasma
- Burning sensation in body
- Mental weakness
- Dry cough, Fever
- Insomnia
- Hiccups
- Eye diseases
- Improving male potency and fertility
- Neuralgia/pain in a nerve pathway
- Inflammation
- Anxiety
- Convulsions
- Memory loss
- Epilepsy, chorea neuritis
Preparation of Raupya Bhasma
For purification and reduction of silver, different methods are used. Some of them are as follows.
- Silver is 'purified' for preparing ash by melting with lead and borax.
- Thin sheets of silver are heated to redness and steeped thrice in oil, whey, kanji, cow's urine, and extract of Kulatha Kalai (Dolichos uniflorus).
- The metal thus 'purified' is suitable for entering into the composition of medicinal preparations.
- The sheets of purified silver are smeared with Kajjli (two parts of sulphur and one part of mercury), ground with the juice of Jambeer (Citrus acida). It is then heated in Gajaput. The product thus obtained is called Raupya Bhasma or reduced silver.
- Silver sheets as purified above are cut into small pieces and powdered with equal quantity of mercury. It is pounded with juice of Citrus medica and subjected to the process of roasting known as Putapak. By repeating the process thrice pure 'ashes' of silver may be obtained.
Dosage of Raupya Bhasma
1 ratti (=0.12125 gram) or 125 mg twice a day with honey, ghee, milk cream, butter, misri etc.
This medicine is manufactured by Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan, Patanjali Divya Pharmacy (Rajat Bhasma) and some other pharmacies.