Agnijara
Agnijara is a substance used in the Ayurvedic materia medica. Traditional Shodhana (purification) and Marana (calcination) processes convert it into nano-sized particles (bhasma) with significantly enhanced bioavailability. The bhasma form yields particles in the 50-100nm range, facilitating absorption.
| Substance type | Identity unsettled: the sources disagree on what this drug is, so no botanical name is given |
|---|
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Agnijara |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Tikta, Katu | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Ruksha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
What is it made of?
Mineral/Elemental Profile
- Primary component: Mineral-derived preparation
- Note: Composition varies by specific preparation method
Analytical Methods: XRD, ICP-OES, SEM-EDS
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Bhasma (calcined preparation), Pishti (fine triturated powder), Capsule (with bhasma fill), Tablet
Standard Dosage: 125-250mg bhasma twice daily with honey or ghee; 250-500mg pishti
Bioavailability: Agnijara (a form of mineral/resinous amber or fossilized resin) has limited direct bioavailability. Traditional Shodhana (purification) and Marana (calcination) processes convert it into nano-sized particles (bhasma) with significantly enhanced bioavailability. The bhasma form yields particles in the 50-100nm range, facilitating absorption. Anupana of honey or ghee further enhances uptake.
Optimal Timing: Before meals with honey (Kapha conditions) or ghee (Pitta conditions)
Standardized Extract: Not applicable — mineral/resinous preparation. Quality assessed by bhasma pareeksha (traditional tests): Rekhapurnatva (finger-line filling), Varitaratva (floats on water), Apunarbhavatva (irreversibility).
Shelf Life: Indefinite for properly prepared bhasma (traditional view); 5 years recommended for labeled products
Storage: Airtight glass or food-grade HDPE container. Keep dry. Bhasma is hygroscopic — protect from moisture. Ambient temperature storage acceptable.
Marker Compounds: Calcium carbonate (if calcified amber), Succinic acid (if Baltic-type amber), Trace minerals post-Marana
Extraction Methods
- Shodhana (purification by repeated quenching in herbal decoctions)
- Marana (calcination with herbal juices — typically Kumari swarasa)
- Trituration with rose water for Pishti form
Synergistic Combinations
- With Praval Pishti for calcium supplementation
- With Giloy Satva for immune modulation
- With Mukta Pishti for Pitta pacification
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
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