Sameer Pannag Rasa
Sameer Pannag Rasa is a rasa preparation, a herbo-mineral formulation of the rasa shastra tradition.
| Substance type | Herbo-mineral (rasa shastra) preparation, not a single plant |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Sameer Pannag Rasa, SameerPannagRasa |
The evidence at a glance
1paper on this site for this drug, every one with a DOI.
- 1Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people.true See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Sameer Pannag Rasa |
How does it work?
- Anti-asthmatic action: Reduces eosinophil count and ESR, suggesting suppression of allergic inflammatory pathways; improves airway patency as measured by peak expiratory flow rate
- The arsenic compounds (after Shodhana) may modulate immune responses through NF-kB pathway suppression - similar to the mechanism of arsenic trioxide in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia in modern oncology
- Abhraka Bhasma (mica calx) provides trace minerals and acts as a synergistic carrier for the active mercurial and arsenical compounds, enhancing tissue distribution
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Bronchial asthma (Tamaka Shwasa): traditionally used for this condition. A randomized double-blind clinical study reported improvement in peak expiratory flow rate, a reduced eosinophil count, and improved clinical symptoms.
- Respiratory disorders: traditionally used for chronic cough and mild asthma.
What do recent studies show?
- Mashru M, Galib R, Shukla VJ and others 2013. Effect of Sameera Pannaga Rasa (arsenomercurial formulation) in the management of Tamaka Shwasa (bronchial asthma) - Randomized double blind clinical study. Ayu. PMID 24696570 · doi:10.4103/0974-8520.127692
52 patients treated with 30 mg twice daily for 4 weeks showed significant improvement in subjective asthma parameters, control of asthma recurrence, increased peak expiratory flow rate, considerable decrease in total and absolute acute eosinophil count and ESR.
Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.
Recent safety updates
- CRITICAL: Contains BOTH mercury AND arsenic in multiple forms - this is one of the most toxicologically concerning rasa shastra formulations; arsenic is a known Group 1 carcinogen (IARC)
- Subacute (28-day) animal toxicity studies show safety at up to 5x therapeutic dose, but NO long-term carcinogenicity studies have been conducted despite arsenic’s well-established carcinogenic potential
- The 2014 human clinical trial (n=52) for asthma showed efficacy but was only 4 weeks duration - chronic arsenic exposure even at low levels is associated with skin, lung, bladder, and liver cancers
- Research gaps explicitly identified: long-term safety in humans, pharmacokinetics of micro-particulate mercury and arsenic, cumulative tissue burden assessment
- Contraindicated in pregnancy, lactation, children, renal/hepatic impairment; should only be used for shortest effective duration under strict physician supervision with regular monitoring of blood arsenic and mercury levels
What is it made of?
Mineral/Elemental Profile
- Primary component: Mercury- and arsenic-based preparation (Parada with arsenicals) with herbal processing
- Note: Restricted use, requires strict Shodhana protocols and expert supervision
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Vati
Standard Dosage: 125 mg twice daily
Optimal Timing: With honey and ginger juice
Storage: Airtight container
Marker Compounds: Mercury sulfide, Herbal alkaloids
Vehicle (Anupana): Honey + ginger juice; Ardrak Khanda
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Laboratory and animal studies1
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
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.
Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.