Abstract

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AYURVEDA IN RELATION TO RASASHASTRA

*Dr. Snehal K. Dhayafule, Dr. Namrata P. Zanzat and Dr. Shashiprabha L. Gupta

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Abstract

Nanotechnology based on nanoscience is the technology of 21st century due its wide range of application in medicines, automobiles, computer etc. When we reduce the size of any material to nanoscale the changes in the properties of parent material are observed. Nanomedicine covers the area of diagnosis of diseases, cure and prevention of diseases in the healthcare system. Nano drug delivery systems can reduce the drug consumption and side effects by lowering the deposition of there active agent in the non targeted sites. Rasashastra is the branch of Ayurveda which deals with the use of metals, minerals or gems which are heavy, nonabsorbable and toxic substances in raw form. In charaka Samhita fine powder of metal is mentioned as ‗Ayaskriti‘. In the era of Rasacharya Nagarjuna many new pharmaceutical techniques are developed in rasashastra like shodhana, marana, bhavana, jarana, amritikaran, lohitikaran etc. In the process of ‘Marana’ of dhatus the metals, minerals or gems are converted into very very fine, absorbable, therapeutically effective and least toxic form called as ―Bhasma‖. It is an attempt to understand and apply basics of nanotechnology in Ayurvedic pharmaceutics.

Keywords: Ayurveda, Rasashastra, Bhasma, Nanotechnology.