IJAMS I International Journal of Ayurveda & Medical Sciences ISSN: 2455-6246
ABSTRACT
Ancient Instruments and Machines Used in Pharmacy w.s.r. to Present Era
Rajni Bala, Vikas Chandra Gupta1
Department of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, Himalayiya Ayurvedic Medical College, Dehradun, U.K., 1 Department of Swasthvritta and Yoga, Pilibhit, U.P., India
INTRODUCTION ‘Ras shastra’, the science of mercury and minerals, is a
specialized branch of Ayurveda dealing material with Ras dravya,
processing of the metals and minerals produce with a note on
preparation procedure of Ras dravyas.[1-4]
‘Bhaisajya Kalpana’
(Ayurveda pharmaceutics) is another important branch of Ayurveda
which deals with awareness of drugs including identification,
procurement, processing, preparation and application.[5- 7]
In the past few years both these departments have achieved
advancement due to availability of reliable tools and machine, thus
making the pharmacy of Ayurveda more and more efficient. If it
comes to comparison of instruments and machines of pharmacy
(here Ayurveda) then as mentioned in our classics the brief
knowledge of collection of drug, their processing and manufacture
by different tools, in which the large verities consist of ‘yantra’
(instruments), ‘musha’ (crucibles) and ‘puta’ (heating
device/furnaces). Due to advance technology, Ayurveda pharmacy
improved and advanced a lot and has also become efficient.
In Ayurveda for conducting & operating different Kalpanas
(preparations) different Yantras (instruments) are used.[8,9]
Some in
the case of Rasa (Parad) karma (procedures) like Swedana
(fomentation), Mardana (grinding/pounding) etc. for purification
and Marana (incineration) of metals, minerals, gems, and precious
stones, various types of yantras (instruments) are used. These
Yantras are considered as tools, instruments, machines in modern
era. Size reduction of different material is known as milling and
procedure of size reduction is generally termed as comminution and
grinding. Except these for conducting, cutting, chopping, crushing,
grinding, milling, micronizing and trituration, many Yantras are
specified.
Moreover the use of disintegrator, grinder, pulverizer, mixer, end
runner, edge runner has made the manufacturing more efficient,
more reliable, increased the production etc. Also the concept of
musha (crucibles) for with standing high temperatures and melting
matter is including. Lastly about the packaging of these only
manufactured formulations has also been formulated from Vedic
period. This article aims to discuss the similarities and differences in
some key instruments used in ancient times and present era.
DISCUSSION
Ancient age knife and modern age cutter mill
Knife: A knife is a tool with a cutting edge or blade attached to a
handle. They are although used in several works but in medicinal
field in the making of various Swaras, [10, 11]
e.g. Aadrak Swaras
(ginger juice). The first step being removal of its outer cover and
then washing and cutting it into pieces with help of knife and
likewise used in various Kalpanas.
They are manufactured from a variety of materials carbon steel,
an alloy of iron, can be very sharp.
Types- Bread knife: for cutting soft materials; Boning knife: for
removing bones of fish; Chef’s knife: for cutting chopping; Oyster
knife: to open the oyster shells.
Uses-It can be used for perfect chopping and cutting of many fresh
or dried Aushadhis (medicinal plants etc.) so they can formulated for
Corresponding author: Dr. Rajni Bala,
Associate Professor, Department of Rasa Shastra, Himalayiya
Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital, Majri Grant,
Dehradun,Uttarakhand, India. Email: [email protected]
REVIEW ARTICLE
The production of herbo-mineral or mineral medicines needs immense power that cannot be generated by hitherto techniques. Therefore, the
Ayurvedic physicians have devised special yantras that generate immense heat to treat the minerals at high temperatures. Yantra is an
appliance or mechanical contivance that helps ‘purify’ raw minerals and formulate medicine of bio-minerals or minerals substances. In ancient
time, these yantras are simply formed but in recent era, these are modified to fulfil the same purposes. This article is based on the comparison
of instruments used in ancient time & present time.
Key words: Herbo-Minerals, Hitherto Techniques, Minerals, Yantras
Bala & Gupta: Ancient Instruments & Machines Used in Pharmacy wsr to Present Era
International Journal of Ayurveda & Medical Sciences I October-December 2017 I Vol 2 I Issue 4
72
the next level but still it requires human effort, time consuming and
is unreliable for cutting things in mask.
Cutter mill: Now days, cutter mills are used for the perfect size
reduction of material.
Advantages-It has high speed reduction and cutting can be done in
large quantity due to which man effort is reduce in efficient time.
The cutter mill is fitted with two types of knives- [12]
Stationary and
rotating.
Working- In this the stationary knives are mounted in casing of
machine and rotating knives attached to a rotator which rotate at a
high speed. The upper part is attached with a feed and at lower part
of machine a screen of desired size is attach. The material to be
reduced in size is put in the feed and reduced material is collected
from screen.
This method is used to obtain a coarse degree of size reduction of
soft materials such as roots and peels before its extraction.
Ancient era tula yantra and weighing machine
Tula yantra: [13, 14]
In Tula Yantra there are two crucible of equal
size having the shape of brinjal, are the connecting each other with
the help of wooden pipe, passing it into holes and close joint.
Mercury and sulphur (in equal quantity) put separately into two
crucible. After that close the crucible with the lid and seal well and
heat them in Valuka Yantra. This leads to exhaustion (jarana) of
sulphur by the mercury.
In this yantra, two crucibles of same size connected with the tube
looks like a balance and hence it is called Tula Yantra.
Weighing machine: Weighing machine are the devices to measure
weight or calculate mass.
They measure weight by balancing the face due to gravity against
the force spring. Whereas, a balance or pair of scales using a
balancing beam compare masses by balancing the weight due to
mass of subject against the weight of known (masses).
Advantages- Accurate measurement.
Analytical balance: It is a class of balance designed to measure
small mass in sub milligram range. They have calibration
adjustment made to compensate for gravitational forces. The
measuring pass of analytical balance is inside a transparent
enclosure of dose so that dust does not collect.
Advantages- Can be used in measuring easily the chemicals which
are rarely appropriate. Used in weighing of compounds before
trituration. They can be used in measuring parada, gandhaka,
kajjali, requires in minute amount in preparations.
Ancient era ulukhala yantra and modern era disintigrator
Ulukhala yantra: [15]
It is also known as Emmamdasta. It is made up
of iron and consists of two parts mortar and pestle.
Mortar-Measurements having 16” height 10” width and 13”
depth is essential for the preparation of mortar.
Pestle-The length must be 20”. It is use to grinding
Suvarnmakashik, tagara, and loha etc.
Present day, mechanized form of Ulukhala Yantra by the name
of pounding/ disintegrator in Ayurvedic pharmacies.
Disintegrator machine: It works on the principal of impact and
grinding it used for powdering of drugs especially coarse powder.
About the mill-The disintegrator consist of drum shaped chamber
made of steel. In the chamber, there are four steel beater foxed to a
disc through which passes a shaft which rotate at a speed up to 5000
to 7000 r.p.m. the lower part of chamber is fitted with desired
number of sieves. The drug to be comminuted is fed into the
chamber through the feed where it is broken by the direct flow of the
beaters and by impact of material which is thrown with a great force
against the surface of chamber.
Nowadays disintegrators have become very popular because they
can be used for reducing the particle size of different kind of
materials.
Uses-powdering drugs especially coarse powder (kwath choorna).
Advantages-Can be used for powdering crude vegetable drugs.
I. They can be used for powdering very hard drugs.
II. They can be used for mixing the ointment and for mixing
powder ingredients.
Ancient era khalva yantra and the modern era end runner mill
Khalva yantra: [16, 17]
It is bluish or blackish, smooth, heavy and
strong stone which is used for Khalva or mortar. Its mortar made
with the above stone having the measurement of 24”×4”×16” lbh,
the most ideal and is used various purifying procedure. The length of
the gharshani (pestle) should be 12” lbh.
Khalva Yantra are of 3 types- [18]
Semi lunar shaped, [19,20]
circular
shaped [21,22]
, tapta khalva. [23]
Some are lunar shaped 10” height, 16” length, 7” depth,
16”×7”×10” lbh measured semi lunar shaped mortar is ideal to
pound 5 pales. Its pestle should be 12” length, made with the
same time.
12” diameter and 4” depth measured circular mortar with a hard
of pestle in the second variety.
9” length and 6”depth mortar with 8” lengthy pestle in the third
variety and is known as Taptkhalva.
Khalva Yantras are used for mardan process. [24]
End runner mill: It is a modified form of pestle and mortar.
Principle-It makes on the principle of the crushing and shearing.
Structure-It consists of a mortar made of steel or granite. A dumble
shaped heavy pestle is mounted eccentrically in the mortar through a
hinged joint. The mortar is rotated by a mortar. The pestle rotates
itself by friction.
Working- Fall in the mortar due to the grinding action i.e. crushing
and shearing are produces scrappers are attack to pestle which
ensure that material is not constantly removed. The material is
crushed and rubbed between the pestle and rotating mortar. At the
end of grinding the pestle is raised to facilitate emptying and
cleansing of mortar.
Bala & Gupta: Ancient Instruments & Machines Used in Pharmacy wsr to Present Era
International Journal of Ayurveda & Medical Sciences I October-December 2017 I Vol 2 I Issue 4
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Advantages- Reduces the particle size even of hard material, large
quantity of material can be processed for reduction; wet grinding is
also possible in the mill.
Ancient chalini and the modern era sieve shaker chalini [25]
Chalinis (sieves) are commonly employed for particle size
separation after comminution. Sieves are usually prepared using a
metal or plastic frame, and wire or a fabric mesh. In Ayurvedic texts,
three types of sieves are mentioned. It is used for uniform size
separation of a powder.
Sieve shaker: A feature of modern pharmaceutical industry.
Numerous methods have been developed for sifting powders and
determining their practical size. Sieving is undoubtedly the most
common process, being applicable to practically all powders from
about 40 mm upwards. The powder under test is passed through a
number of sieves of increasingly smaller mesh size and the weight
remaining on each sieve is measured. For rapid sieving, a
mechanical shaker is used that imparts gyratory and vibratory
movement to spread material over whole of mess.
Size-The nest of sieves is cradled loosely a slightly inclined position
in crook of arm and tapped at rate of approximately 150 time/min
after about 50 taps, the sieves are put into a horizontal position.
Advantage and usages- Sieve shakers are used for separation and
size determination of particles. A typical sieve shaker separates
particles by passing them through a series of chamber with mesh
filter and agitating the sample in order to obtain complete
separation.
Ancient musha and modern era crucible musha [26]
It is apparatuses used mainly for heating various types of
substances in various heating pattern and as it removes the
impurities from metals it is called Musha.
In Rasa texts different types of Musha having different shapes and
sizes are described which could resist different degrees of
temperature depending upon the types of material from which these
are made. [27, 28]
According to the available literature, these have
been named either on the basis of their form, their shape, the type of
constituents, materials used, and the purpose, the uses for which
they are prepared and thus more than 20 types of Mushas are also
described, along with other constituent materials.
Crucibles: A crucible is a container that can with stand very high
temperature and is used for metal, glass mud pigment production as
well as number of laboratory processes. Nowadays they can be made
from any materials that withstand temperatures high enough to melt
otherwise after its contents.
About materials description, uses etc.- Crucibles and their covers are
made of high temperature resistant materials, usually porcelain
alumina or an inert metal.
In area of chemical analysis, crucibles are use in quantitative
gravimetric chemical analysis. The crucible with sample & lid is
allowed to cool in desiccator.
In the field of ‘Ras Shastra’ for making various formulations using
different drug this is kept in mind the size of crucibles used. They
are available with different numbers. For this, generally graphite
crucibles are used.
Advantage- Withstands high temperature; ability to melt & transfer
metal in single vessel; easily available with different sizes are
required.
Comparison of ancient and modern era methods of making pills
when there are fully processed
In older days a lot of human effort was require for making pills
when they were fully processed. The material formed was collected
and then either through hands or by estimating size with any object
(small, round generally) they were formed.
Disadvantage- Requires human effort and is time consuming too.
They were not formed of similar and accurate sizes.
Pill making machine: Developed in this era, it has helped a lot in
sorting out this problem. Pills are round in shape and they can be
easily prepared from this. It has two parts- one part make the wick.
The long wicks come outside by roller. Prepared wicks are put in the
renewable tray & given a round shape. Thus, its efficiency makes it
more advantageous.
Comparison of packaging of materials of ancient and modern
era
In the ancient era the materials were packed in the earthen pots,
coconut kernels, jars etc. The processed and fully manufactured
products were kept in them and used as needed. But now days
‘pouch-packing machine’ are widely used in various industries for
sealing the pouches of different materials. It seals the powder as well
as liquid material also. For liquid, it has measuring device which
control the quantity of liquid which goes for packing of pouch.
Uses and advantage of pouch packing machine: Used to pack
various solids as well as it is also used in milk & aqueous industry.
They have robust flame, are easy to operate and are efficient and
reliable for packing many packets in single time (in case of pouch
making).
CONCLUSION
In the Vedic period there were various tools and instruments used
for medicines and their formulations and the advanced machines are
actually their advanced versions. The concept of these machines has
helped a lot in establishing Ras-Shastra and Bhaisajya Kalpana to
another level.
Due to this, these both fields are growing rapidly and helping the
Indian pharmacy by providing them efficiency. No doubt that tools
& instrument ofolder era has given the concept and ideas and this
has been implied in our new machines. They reduce human effort,
are time efficient and product can be easily available too.
Bala & Gupta: Ancient Instruments & Machines Used in Pharmacy wsr to Present Era
International Journal of Ayurveda & Medical Sciences I October-December 2017 I Vol 2 I Issue 4
74
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How to cite this article: Bala R, Gupta V. Ancient Instruments
& Machines Used in Pharmacy wsr to Present Era. Int J
Ayurveda & Med Sc 2017; 2(4): 71-74.
Source of Support: Nil. Conflict of Interest: None declared.