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Serpentine, Jahara Mohara
Mineral Bezoar
Jahara Mohara, Zehr Mohra (Unani)
Jawahar Mohra (Ayurveda)
Naga pasana (Skt.)
Shi Men Yan (TCM)
Ophicalcite Hua Rui Shi of TCM is Serpentine mixed with Calcite.
Jahara Mohara, Zehr Mohra (Unani)
Jawahar Mohra (Ayurveda)
Naga pasana (Skt.)
Shi Men Yan (TCM)
Ophicalcite Hua Rui Shi of TCM is Serpentine mixed with Calcite.
Serpentine
(Calcutta Unani College, Adam, 2019)
(Calcutta Unani College, Adam, 2019)
Mineralogical Name:
Serpentine (Soapstone variety); hydrous magnesium iron phyllosilicate
Basic silicate of magnesium, iron, aluminum, nickel, zinc, and manganese
Serpentine (Soapstone variety); hydrous magnesium iron phyllosilicate
Basic silicate of magnesium, iron, aluminum, nickel, zinc, and manganese
What is Serpentine?
Serpentine is not a mineral, but a group of minerals. The main members are Antigorite (solid form) and Chrysotile (fibrous form).
There are a number of related minerals based on admixtures:
1. Asbestos: fibrous form of Serpentine; should not be used
2. Bastite: psudeomorph of Serpentine
3. Bowenite: massive serpentine with dense fibers
4. Deweylite: Chrysotile Serpentine with admixture of Talc minerals
5. Ophicalcite, used in TCM, is Serpentine mixed with calcite.
6. Serpentinite: primarily Serpentine, with admixtures including calcite, dolomite, magnetite
Serpentine is not a mineral, but a group of minerals. The main members are Antigorite (solid form) and Chrysotile (fibrous form).
There are a number of related minerals based on admixtures:
1. Asbestos: fibrous form of Serpentine; should not be used
2. Bastite: psudeomorph of Serpentine
3. Bowenite: massive serpentine with dense fibers
4. Deweylite: Chrysotile Serpentine with admixture of Talc minerals
5. Ophicalcite, used in TCM, is Serpentine mixed with calcite.
6. Serpentinite: primarily Serpentine, with admixtures including calcite, dolomite, magnetite
Parts used:
Pisthi (powder levigated with Rose water)
Bhasma / Kushta (ash)
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Sweet, pungent
PROPERTIES:
Nature: crystalline
Color: black-green
Streak: colorless
Cleavage: Perfect
Fracture: Conchoidal
Luster: Greasy
Tenacity: Tough
Transparency: Translucent
Hardness: 3.5–5
Specific Gravity: 2.5–2.7
Constituents:
Hydrous magnesium iron silicate ((Mg, Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4)
Usually has traces of various minerals including calcium, aluminium, zinc, chromium, cobalt, nickel, manganese etc
Pisthi (powder levigated with Rose water)
Bhasma / Kushta (ash)
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Sweet, pungent
PROPERTIES:
Nature: crystalline
Color: black-green
Streak: colorless
Cleavage: Perfect
Fracture: Conchoidal
Luster: Greasy
Tenacity: Tough
Transparency: Translucent
Hardness: 3.5–5
Specific Gravity: 2.5–2.7
Constituents:
Hydrous magnesium iron silicate ((Mg, Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4)
Usually has traces of various minerals including calcium, aluminium, zinc, chromium, cobalt, nickel, manganese etc
Uses:
1. Strengthens the Principle Organs:
-increases Vigor and Vitality
-powder levigated with Rose water, or the Bhasma/Kushta is used for Palpitation, Heart weakness, and Heart disease;
-more recently, for high blood pressure
-used for Melancholy and to enhance Memory.
-regarded as an exhilarant medicine, used to promote happiness. (Unani)
-Added to Aphrodisiac medicines in Unani.
2. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:
-Pitta/Bile disorders
-Fever; prophylactic during infectious diseases.
-clears toxin from the body.
3. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-excess Menstrual bleeding, Menorrhagia
-other types of Bleeding from Heat
4. Promotes Digestion:
-used for indigestion, Vomiting, Diarrhea.
5. Stops Cough:
-Cough and Asthma. (Bhasma)
6. Externally:
-relieves corneal opacity
-clears skin pigmentation
-made into a paste with vinegar and applied to Warts.
-Piles. (Bhasma)
DOSE:
Levigated Powder (Pishti): 250–500mg (up to 1 gram);
Bhasma: 65–250mg with Honey.
COMMENT:
Serpentine is basically the same as Ophicalcite Hua Rui Shi of TCM, the latter being Serpentine mixed with a little Calcite. Both are used to stop Bleeding, however Serpentine as used in Ayurveda has a range of other uses including being regarded as a tonic. Therefore, we have separated them into separate monographa.
PREPARATION:
Heat until red hot and dip in Cow Urine, repeat 21 times. (Ayurveda)
Levigated Powder (Pishti): 250–500mg (up to 1 gram);
Bhasma: 65–250mg with Honey.
COMMENT:
Serpentine is basically the same as Ophicalcite Hua Rui Shi of TCM, the latter being Serpentine mixed with a little Calcite. Both are used to stop Bleeding, however Serpentine as used in Ayurveda has a range of other uses including being regarded as a tonic. Therefore, we have separated them into separate monographa.
PREPARATION:
Heat until red hot and dip in Cow Urine, repeat 21 times. (Ayurveda)
Main Combinations:
1. Sexual debility, Impotence, Premature Ejaculation, Serpentine with Saffron, Nutmeg, Skink, burnt Cuttlefish bone, Silver Bhasma (as in Pills of Nishat)
2. Fever and Thirst, Serpentine with Tabasheer, Borage seed, Tinospora, Lesser Cardamon (as in Pills of Tabasheer of Unani)
3. Cardiac stimulant, and for Depression and Hypertension, Serpentine with Tabasheer, Silver, Oyster shell, Green Agate, Ambergris (as in Sufuf Fizzah of Unani)
4. Stomatitis with Chebula
Cautions:
Main Preparations used:
Pishti/Levigated Powder; Bhasma
1. Levigated Powder:
The stone is levigated with Rose water until extremely fine. It is quenched a number of times to facilitate powdering. In India, the levigated stone is also sometimes exposed to Moonlight.
Main Preparations used:
Pishti/Levigated Powder; Bhasma
1. Levigated Powder:
The stone is levigated with Rose water until extremely fine. It is quenched a number of times to facilitate powdering. In India, the levigated stone is also sometimes exposed to Moonlight.