Makshika (Chalcopyrite) - A Noble Mineral Medicine in Ayurvedic Therapeutics

Dr Sudhaldev Mohapatra has been engaged in teaching of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana since last 10 years. He did his under graduate from Berhampur University Odisa. He did M.D. (Ay) and Ph.D. from BHU. He has written a book on the subject. Around 50 research publications in different national and international journals are in his credit. He is also the expert reviewer of many national and international journals. Currently he is working as a Teacher in A&U Tibbia College, New Delhi.

Dr. P 5 Pandey is currently providing his service since last 5 years in Rasa Shastra Department, BHU.

It gives me immense pleasure to put forward the book entitled 'Makshika (Chalcopyrite)-A Noble Mineral medicine in Ayurvedic Therapeutics'. This book is unique of its kind as it contains all availability regarding Makshika as a single mineral medicament. A literature regarding the details of any particular Rasoushadhi, like Parad Vigyanieeya, is rarely found in the vast literature of Rasa Shastra. This attempt will facilitate the grass root level detail learning of the subject Rasa Shastra, simultaneously it will strengthen the progressive research on Ayurveda in general and Rasa shastra in particular.

In Rasa literature Swarna Makshika is enumerated under the Maharas group. Minerals and metals are used after proper shodban and marana. Through Marana Swarana Makshika is converted into it's bhasma and this bhasma with desired quality is used in therapeutics. Therapeutic indications as mentioned for Swarna Makshika are Pandu, Kamala, Insomnia; it is considered best quality Rasayan and prevents aging process. Swarna Makshik bhasma is already used by the Ayurvedic physicians in their routine practice with success. Even then on this important mineral since five-six decades many researches carried out to evaluate scientifically on various level.

In the book it is tried to compile all the matters regarding Makshika and presented in a scientific manner with tables, graphs and photographs at require place. Two appendices given after four chapters of the book are describing the different research works done regarding Makshika all across the country till now in different institutes as MD (Ay) and Ph.D. thesis work in Appendix -I and frequently used compound formulations containing Makshika in clinical practice in Appendix-Il. This book will help the students, academicians and researchers of Ayurveda for their query and answers regarding Makshika as an Ayurvedic medicine.

I wish and bless to Dr. Sudhaldev Mohapatra and congratulate him for this important contribution. He will contribute further more to enrich the discipline of Rasa Shastra & Bhaishajya Kalpana. I pray to Lord Vishwanatha for his better future.

Now a days, subject Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana (Ayurvedic Pharmaco- Therapeutics) is going through a transitional phase in Ayurvedic health care system. Requirement of evidence based medical system in current era; makes the time-tested Ayurveda medical system to transit from traditional way folk base use to analytical and clinical data base use. As Rasa Shastra is the core of Ayurvedic medical infrastructure, it is necessary to develop it systematically through each raw material competent to be drug substance and each manufacturing process. One of the thrust areas of Ayurveda is manufacturing of noble and standard medicines, which can only be fulfilled by the development of Rasa Shastra at each level of the subject i.e. selection of standard raw materials, suitable equipments, convenient manufacturing process and to achieve noble finished products. Rasa Shastra deals with the materials from different sources like metals, mineral, herbal and animals. Makshika, also known as Swarna Makshika is one important material of mineral origin having very significant therapeutic use. It is one of the potent ingredients of hundreds of compound formulations. It can also be used single for therapeutic purposes in its bhasma from.

Mineral Makshika is chemically composed of copper, iron and sulphur as major constituent along with many trace elements such as Si, Au etc. It comes under pyrite group and mostly considered as Chalcopyrite/copper pyrite by the chemist people. Considering the medicinal importance of Makshika it is tried to compile available informations regarding this potent medicaments from Samhita literatures till available current literatures like API etc. This book also contains easy and convenient standard processing methods for practitioners and Ayurvedic drug industries. The book consists of four chapters and two indices. Chapters contain literary informations and pharmaceutical standards with available analytical data of Raw Makshika, Shodhita Makshika and Makshika bhasma from different researches and Govt. published data, duly acknowledged. Indices contain different researches regarding Makshika done in different institutes all over the India and some common compound formulations containing Makshika along with their therapeutic indications. Colored photographs are also given in different required place. It is tried to present the matter in possible tabular form for making it convenient for the reader. This book could have immense help to the researcher on Ayurvedic medicines and mineral medicines.

All success of this book is due to great mercy of supreme soul and each mistake is reserved for me.