Significance of Parad in Rasashastra- A review

Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent.In Ayurveda, materials from natural sources are being used for the preparation of Ayurvedic formulation. This includes plants, minerals/metals and animals. Rasashastra is a branch of Ayurvedic medicine which deals with formulations containing minerals/metals and significantly Parad. From the fact that the name of this branch has been given after Parad (Rasa in Rasashastra) indicates the emphasis laid by the then health care professionals on the use of Mercury or Rasa or Parad in the use of therapeutics.According to Ayurvedic Formulary of India, mercury and lead are reported to be the widely used heavy metals. But nowadays, modern scientists are concerned with the use of heavy metals in Ayurvedic preparation. According to Ayurveda, before these metals are used for the treatment, purification process should be carried out so that the possibility of adverse effects gets eliminated.In this review article, we are dealing with the Ayurvedic methods used in purification of Parad (Mercury) and the evaluation parameters used.