There are 32 internal medicines. These medicines vary in their shelf life, ranging from short-term to long-term use. Metallic preparations, which have a longer shelf life, are considered superior due to their potency and efficacy, even in small doses. These medicines are effective in treating chronic illnesses.
Surasam: These are potent extracts, distilled from the essence of leaves, roots, barks, flowers, rhizomes, and fruits. They are boiled to concentrate their life-giving properties. Their potency is fleeting, lasting mere hours. A prime example is the fiery ginger surasam.
Charu: These are refined extracts, meticulously prepared by grinding or processing plant parts with heat or astringent agents. They are designed to extract the subtle energies of nature.
Kudiner: These are decoctions, brewed by boiling herbs in water. The water, reduced to a fraction of its original volume, becomes imbued with the curative properties of the plants. Some herbs, deemed too delicate, are gently infused in cloth bags. Their potency endures for a short time.
Karkam: These are therapeutic pastes, crafted by grinding fresh herbs or combining dry powders with herbal decoctions. The mortar and pestle, sacred tools of the Siddha, must be cleansed between preparations to preserve the purity of each remedy. Their potency is time-bound, lasting a few hours.
Utkalee: These are nourishing confections, prepared by combining medicinal herbs with rice or Bengal gram flour. They are ground, boiled, and sweetened to create a delectable and potent remedy.
Adai: These are delicate preparations, made by incorporating leaves into rice flour. They are then baked with ghee, creating a fragrant and therapeutic treat. Their potency is ephemeral, lasting only a few hours.
Choornam: These are fine powders, meticulously prepared by drying, purifying, and grinding medicinal herbs. They can be further refined by baking in water or milk. Their potency, though potent, is not eternal, lasting for approximately three months.
Pittu: These are baked confections, prepared by powdering medicinal herbs, mixing them, and baking them in water or milk. They are then sweetened to enhance their taste and therapeutic properties. Their potency endures for about three months.
Vadagam: These are pill-like preparations, crafted by combining powdered herbs with jaggery or palm sugar. They are then baked in a milk-water mixture and ground into pills. Their potency endures for approximately three months.
Vennai: These are ghee-based formulations, prepared by heating powdered herbs with ghee. The mixture is then churned with water to create a butter-like substance. Their potency endures for about three months.
Ayurvedic Dosage Forms – A Siddha Perspective
Manappagu: These are syrups, prepared by boiling herbal decoctions or fruit juices with sugar or sugar crystals until an aromatic fragrance emerges. Additional herbs may be added to enhance their therapeutic properties. These syrups have a shelf life of six months.
Nei: These are ghee-based formulations, created by infusing cow’s ghee with herbal juices, pastes, or decoctions. The mixture is boiled until the herbs are fully incorporated into the ghee, extracting their fat-soluble components.
Rasayanam: These are rejuvenating formulations, prepared by combining powdered herbs with sugar and ghee. They are consumed in a semi-solid form to promote longevity and vitality.
Ilagham: These are complex preparations, made by combining decoctions or juices, sugar, and fine powders. The mixture is boiled, and ghee and honey are added to enhance its taste and therapeutic properties.
Ennai: These are oil-based preparations, derived from various plant sources, including seeds, climbers, barks, and tubers. They are classified based on their origin and mode of application and have a shelf life of one year.
Mathirai: These are pills, prepared by grinding herbs with juices, decoctions, ginger juice, or breast milk. They are then rolled into small pills and dried. These pills have a shelf life of one year.
Kadughu: These are unique formulations, prepared by boiling herbs in oil until mustard-like granules form. The granules are ingested, while the oil is used for external application. These formulations have a shelf life of one year.
Pakkuvam: These are fermented preparations, made by soaking herbs like Terminalia chebula in water or rice water. The soaked herbs are then added to buttermilk or juices, along with other herbs. These formulations have a shelf life of one year.
Thenural: These are preserved herbs, prepared by soaking herbs like ginger, Indian gooseberry, and Terminalia chebula in water. The soaked herbs are then preserved in sugar syrup or honey. These formulations have a shelf life of one year.
Theeneer: These are distilled preparations, obtained by distilling herbs or salts in specialized pots. These distillates have a shelf life of one year.
Mezhugu: These are mercurial preparations, categorized into two types:
- Ground preparations: Mercurial compounds are ground with other herbs, juices, or honey to form a semi-solid paste.
- Heat-processed preparations: Mercurial compounds or mineral substances are heated with oils or juices to form a semi-solid paste. These preparations have a shelf life of five years.
Kuzhambu: These are liquid preparations, made by adding powdered herbs to a base of herbal juice or decoction. The mixture is then heated to create a semi-liquid form. These preparations have a shelf life of five years.
Pathangam: These are sublimated preparations, made by sublimating mercurial compounds in specialized pots. These preparations have a shelf life of ten years.
Chenduram: These are red-colored powders, prepared by subjecting metallic substances or toxic salts to various processes, including burning, frying, sun exposure, or incubation in specialized pots with herbal decoctions. These preparations have a shelf life of 75 years.
Neer or Parpam: These are white powders, prepared by subjecting mineral substances to calcination processes, involving burning, frying, or blowing with herbal decoctions. Gold parpam is unique in its yellow color. These preparations have a shelf life of 100 years.
Kattu: These are solid preparations, made by combining mineral substances with binders like herbal juices, honey, or breast milk. These preparations have a shelf life of 100 years.
Urukku: These are processed mineral substances, prepared by subjecting them to specific heat treatments with the addition of synergistic or antagonistic herbs. These preparations have a shelf life of 100 years.
Kalanghu: These are mercurial preparations, made by subjecting burnt mercury to further processing with the addition of gold, zinc, and herbal decoctions. These preparations have a shelf life of 100 years.
Chunnam: These are white powders, prepared by grinding and processing mercury or mineral substances with herbal decoctions. These preparations have a shelf life of 500 years.
Karpam: These are long-term therapeutic regimens, involving the administration of herbal or mineral preparations over extended periods.
Chatthu: These are complex preparations, involving the processing of iron, magnetic iron, and mineral substances with egg yolk, mercury, gold, sulfur, and herbal decoctions. These preparations have a long shelf life.
Gurukuligai
Gurukuligai refers to a specific preparation where mercury is transformed into bead-like forms, often in its amalgam state.
Panchasutha
Mercury, a fundamental substance in Siddha medicine, is utilized in five primary forms known as Panchasutha:
- Rasam: Elemental mercury.
- Lingam: Red sulfide of mercury.
- Veram: Mercury perchloride.
- Pooram: Mercury subchloride.
- Rasa-chinduram: Red oxide of mercury.
These forms of mercury, when prepared and administered correctly, possess potent medicinal properties and are used in various Siddha formulations.