Arsenical Compounds in Ayurveda Medicine: a Prospective Analysis

Haritala (Orpiment), Manashila (Realgar) and Gouripasana (White arsenic) are the three commonly used Arsenicals in Ayurveda and other codified traditional medicine of India for wide range diseases after Sodhana (Purification) and Marana (Calcification). Gouripasana (White arsenic) is now accepted in western medicine as first line chemotherapeutic agent against certain hematopoietic cancer. Malla sindura and Rasa Manikya are two derivatives of White arsenic and Orpiment respectively used in certain cases of cancer and solid tumor by the contemporary Ayurveda Practitioners and traditional healers of Northeast India. A systematic study on arsenical compounds in Ayurveda is not found as like Chinese traditional medicine , therefore a prospective study to analyze the different arsenicals used in Ayurveda, their purification, properties, formulation, pharmacology and therapeutics, toxicology as described in Ayurveda with modern understanding of biological responses, toxicology and detailed pharmacological studies were undertaken. The indications of Arsenicals in Ayurveda medicine are still remaining to be justified in the light of modern pharmacology. This study throws an idea where an Ayurveda clinician and patient can presume the risk in light of benefit.