Investigation of temperature pattern of traditional Puta in Ayurvedic Bhasma preparation

Abstract

Bhasma is a herbo-mineral preparation manufactured from metal / mineral after following complex ayurvedic pharmaceutical processes, shodana (purification) and marana (incineration). The measurement of heat required for marana process in converting metal / mineral into bhasma form is known as Puta and this heat amount is substance specific and measured in terms of fuel used. Objectives of this research are to establish the temperature profiles of 3 traditional puta (Varaha Puta, Gaja Puta and Maha Puta) and verifying the Varaha Puta temperature pattern by comparing properties of Chalcopyrite ash (Swarna Makshika Bhasma) prepared using traditional puta and using electric muffle furnace. Temperature pattern for Maha Puta, Gaja Puta and Varaha Puta were determined using dried cow dung cakes with an average calorific value of 15.44 MJ/kg as the fuel and the maximum temperatures achieved for Maha Puta, Gaja Puta and Varaha Puta were 1380 0C, 1060 0C and 850 0C respectively. Further, the temperature pattern of traditional Varaha Puta was matched with a muffle furnace and selected ash was prepared using both traditional method and electric muffle furnace and compared properties of the resultant ash (bhasma) from two methods. The ash produced using both methods have shown similar properties.