Ayurvedic system of medicine has stood the test of time for four millennia or more.
Ancient seers found that the drugs from different origin (herbal, metal or animal) are the most
suitable tools in maintaining health in the healthy and eradicating diseases in the diseased. The use
of metallo-mineral preparations in healthcare is a unique characteristic feature in this system.
Processed metals and minerals including Mercury, Lead, Arsenic, Copper etc. were found to be used
very frequently by the seers of Indian tradition in different disease conditions with great conviction.
It is generally claimed that these metals / minerals gets detoxified during the manufacturing
processes, if followed specified guidelines as emphasized in the scriptures of Ayurveda, especially
Rasashastra texts. Charaka Samhita, one of the scheduled books of Ayurveda also holds ample
references regarding the use of minerals for different purposes, as reflected in this paper.
Key words: Arsenic, Ayurveda, Charaka Samhita, Copper, Minerals.
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