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Raskarpoora is a Nirgandha type of Murchhana.

Raskarpoora name is firstly mentioned in

Rasendra Chintamani 14th century AD

Rasa means Parada

As it has the capacity to dissolve or absorb all the metal in it.

It can overcome old age, disease and death.

Karpura means –

A substance which is white in colour.

A substance with particular smell.

Thereafter about 38 references are found

in various Rasa classics.

Raskarpoora is also included in schedule E1 of Drug and Cosmetic Act, 1940 2

Introduction

CONCEPTUAL STUDY

Raskarpoora a non- sulphuric mercurial preparation is renowned for its therapeutic efficacy.

Prior to the dawn of the antibiotics, the people were used to be cured of their infectious diseases with this matchless remedy.

The preparation of Raskarpoora in a classical method is quite laborious and at times, the yield is also not proportionate.

with the advent of the Rasatarangini version of Raskarpoora preparation it almost become easy to prepare this drug. Looking at the fungicidal and bactericidal properties of Raskarpoora, it is evident that it could be used as panacea in many a number of infectious disease.

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DRUG REVIEW

Thus it was necessitated to manufacture Raskarpoora in a larger scale.

Among those centers kondapalli is considered to be very famous with an output of almost about 30kgs of Raskarpoora in each batch.

The present paper deals with the complete details of manufacturing technique of Raskarpoora at kondapalli.

There are about 2 units which are active in this field, both of them follow the same type of method from manufacturing the glass bottle too.

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The preparation of Raskarpoora.

Mercury in 34.5 kgs.ofweight Is added to H2SO4. 20 letters in wide porcelain vessel and boiled on the hearth.

During the process thick white fumes come out from the mixture, periodicallyit is stirred with an iron ladel.

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When the complete mixture becomes white powder and fumes stop coming-out, It is taken out and then preserved This process is done outside the village to avoid the fumes being inhaled by the people.

Those involved in manufacturing process also seen taking care by escaping from such fumes.

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STEP-2

This mixture is taken to the manufacturing unit and then added with equal quantity of powder of common salt [NaCl2] and kept in wide iron casseroles. They are again closed with other earthen casseroles of same dimension and coating of both side done with red soft soil. This is then subjected to heat for 4 hours.

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On cooling down the casseroles seal is open and the mixture which is white in colour is taken out and make it powder to fill glass bottles for third (final) stage of drug preparation.

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glass bottles

preparation

Glass pieces are heated for24 hours then liquid ready , with the help of hallow pipe making the thin spherical glass jars, having narrow opening. specially for this drug preparation. These glass bottles are coated with red soil and leave to dry. 9

White powder filled carefully through the thin opening of these bottles, are sealed with mud paste and 3-4 such bottles are kept in wide earthren vessels amidst pebbles. 10

Later these are subjected to heat for 3 hours on hearth with the help of firewood, one of three bottles is taken out and examined for proper formation of Raskarpoora film.

By obtaining the siddha lakshna, all bottles are taken out and left for cooling down.

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Later they are broke open and the Raskarpoora is collect carefully. The outcome could be almost equal to the weight of mercury taken, which is considered a good sign of successful manufacturing.

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