Anandabhairava Rasa: A Comparative Analysis of Two Vatsanābha Sodhana Approaches

Abstract

Anandabhairava Rasa (ABR) is an Ayurvedic herbo-mineral formulation traditionally used to treat fever and diarrhea. It contains Vatsanabha (Aconitum ferox Wall.), a highly toxic herb. In Ayurveda, Śodhana (purification) is a process that renders toxic substances safe and therapeutically effective. This study investigates the effects of two distinct Śodhana media-cow urine (Gomutra) and cow milk (Godugdha) on the physicochemical properties of Vatsanabha and the final ABR formulations. Materials and Methods: Vatsanabha tubers was separately purified using classical (Śodhana) methods using cow urine and cow milk. Subsequently, the two distinct batches of ABR were prepared by triturating the ingredients and compressing them into tablets. The raw materials were and final products were subjected to analytical study, including organoleptic characterization, physicochemical parameter assessment and chromatographic profiling. The Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) of unpurified Vatsanabha and purified Vatsanabha and High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) of Anandabhairava Rasa (ABR) prepared from both types of purified Vatsanabha. Results and Discussion: The purification of Vatsanabha using cow urine and cow milk resulted in notable physicochemical alterations, including a significant shift in pH, differences in water-soluble extracts, and distinct TLC patterns. Although the resulting Anandabhairava Rasa (ABR) formulations exhibited similar size and texture, slight differences were observed in hardness and disintegration time. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the use of cow urine and cow milk as Śodhana media for Vatsanabha results in two chemically distinct Anandabhairava Rasa formulations. Further quantitative and clinical studies are necessary to evaluate the precise therapeutic implications of these variations.