Mandur Bhasma is an Ayurvedic preparation which is used as a single drug and also as an ingredient of various other Ayurvedic medicines. Mandur is iron rust. It is oxide of iron formed gradually over the years by action of atmosphere on the waste of iron. Chemically Mandura is the combination of ferric oxide (59.10%), ferrous oxide (26.4%), chlorides (4.2%), magnesium (3.6%), sodium (1.8%) and few other trace elements.
Mandoor Bhasma is prepared from the raw Mandoor by complex Ayurvedic procedure which involves proper Shodhan(purification) and Marana processes (calcinations).
Mandoor Bhasma is an iron based preparation and it effectively treats anemia.
It has the liver protecting activities and is useful for treating the liver diseases. It is also useful in treating diarrhea, chronic bowel complaints, dyspepsia, intestinal worms, nervous diseases, neuralgia, kidney diseases, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia and albuminuria (albumin in urine).
General Information
- Mandura is a metallic oxide. It is oxide of iron.
- Names in other Languages
- Sanskrit: Lohkitta, Malayas, Ayomala
- English: iron rust
- Gujarati: Mandura
- Hindi: Mandura, Lohamala
- Kannada: Loha kitta
- Malayalam: Ierumbin Kittam
- Marathi: Mandura
- Tamil: Manturam, Irumbukittam
- Telugu: Loha kittam
- Urdu: Khabus-ul-Hadeed, Zang-e-Aahan
Origin and occurrence
Mandura is the by-product of the metallurgical process during extraction of Iron (Fe) and Copper (Cu) from their respective ores.
It occurs as lumps, boulders or aggregates at the areas where smelting activity is carried out for the extraction of copper and iron. Iron is the main constituent of Mandura followed by Silica with minor amounts of Cu, S, Pb, Zn, Ag, Cd and Au.
Mandura is known since ancient times in India and occurs in over 500 years old slag dumps near village Singhana (Khetri), distt. Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan). Mandura of similar quality may occur at other places also in the country where smelting of copper ore was carried out in the past.
Ayurvedic Properties and Action
- In Ayurveda, Sixty year old Mandura, is considered inferior and eighty year old is considered medium or ordinary.
- Mandura which is 100 year old, without fissures, heavy, smooth, strong, and slightly reddish is considered best for medicinal purpose.
- Rasa (taste on the tongue): Kasaya (Astringent)
- Guna (Pharmacological Action): Shita
- Virya: Sita (Cooling)
- Vipaka (transformed state after digestion): Katu (Pungent)
Preparation of Mandoor Bhasma
Shodhana (Rasatarangini)
- Lohamala (Mandura) Q.S.
- Bibhitakangara (Bibhitaka) (St.) Q.S. for heat.
- Gomutra Q.S. for parishecana
Note: Instead of Bibhitakangara any other charcoal can also be used.
Marana
Method of Preparation
Method of Marana: The powder of Shodhita Mandura is ground in Triphala Kvatha and cakrikas are prepared. These cakrikas, when dried, are kept in Sharvava Samputa and subjected to Gaja Puta. This process is repeated 30 times. The color of Bhasma will be red.
Benefits of Mandura Bhasma
- It is a powerful hematinic and tonic.
- It is cool in potency.
- It is diuretic and aphrodisiac.
- It is cytoprotactive and protects cells against harmful agents.
- It acts preferentially on the blood, the liver and spleen.
- It cures anemia, swelling in the body, and the liver-spleen diseases.
Uses of Mandur Bhasma
- Anemia
- Loss of appetite
- General Weakness
- Diseases of the liver, Jaundice
- Enlargement of the liver and spleen
- Yellowness of urine, skin
- Abdominal pain, impaired digestion, diarrhea
- Swelling in the body
The Dosage of Mandur Bhasma
125 mg to 500 mg, twice a day.
The adjunct/ Anupan, which is an administered along with or just after the medicine to enhance its therapeutic action, for this medicine is Honey/ Triphala Kvatha/ Punarnavashtaka Kvatha/ Punarnava Rasa. The adjunct depends on disease to be treated.
Please note, the doses of Ayurvedic medicines are not fixed. The exact dose depends on the age, strength, digestive power of the patient, the nature of the illness, the state of the viscera and humours, and the properties of individual drugs.
You can buy this medicine online or from medical stores.
This medicine is manufactured by Baidyanath (Mandoor Bhasma), Dabur (Mandoor Bhasma), Patanjali Divya Pharmacy (Divya Mandura Bhasma), Manil (Mandur Bhasma), Rasashram (Mandoor Bhasma) and many other Ayurvedic pharmacies.
Research
The protective effect of mandur bhasma (10 mg/kg body weight) has been demonstrated in CCl4-treated rats. Bhasmas were orally administered to animals. Hepatoprotection was established by various enzymatic parameters, lipid peroxidation, and a histological examination of tissues.
References
- Sharma Sadananda, Rasa Tarangini. Reprint. Vol. 7. Varanasi: Motilal, Banarasidas Publication.
- Kulkarni D.A., editor. Rasa Ratna Samucchaya. Vol. 5. New Delhi: ML Publication;1965. Vagbhat.
- Kanase, A., Patil, S., and Thorat, B., Curative effect of mandur bhasma on the liver and kidney of albino rats after induction of acute hepatitis by CCl4.