Background: Abhrak (mica) is an important mineral drug described under Maharasa in Rasashastra. It is widely used after incineration in the form of Abhrak Bhasma for various chronic disorders, Rasayana therapy, and respiratory diseases. Classical Ayurvedic pharmaceutics emphasise elaborate purification and incineration techniques to transform raw minerals into bioassimilable forms. Aim: To conduct a detailed pharmaceutical and analytical study of Abhrak and standardise the preparation of Abhrak Bhasma using classical Ayurvedic procedures along with modern analytical evaluation. Materials and Methods: Raw Krishna Abhrak was subjected to Shodhana, Dhanyabhraka preparation, and repeated Marana with Aloe vera Swarasa as Bhavana Dravya. Analytical evaluation included organoleptic examination, physicochemical parameters, classical Bhasma Pariksha, and modern techniques such as XRD, SEM-EDX, FTIR, and AAS. Results: Shodhana improved brittleness and removed physical impurities. Marana produced a fine reddish-brown powder showing Rekhapurnatva and Varitaratva. Instrumental analysis confirmed a reduction in particle size, structural transformation, and stable elemental composition. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical processing plays a significant role in converting Abhrak into a therapeutically suitable nano-microstructured Bhasma. Modern analytical techniques validate classical Ayurvedic procedures and support the standardisation of Abhrak Bhasma.
Arora et al. (Thu,) studied this question.