Geopharmaceuticals of Himalayan Sowa Rigpa medicine: Ethnopharmacological uses, mineral diversity, chemical identification and current utilization in Bhutan
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Short Title:
Journal of EthnopharmacologyGeopharmaceuticals of Himalayan Sowa Rigpa medicine
Format:
Journal Article
Publication Date:
2018/09/15/
Pages:
99 - 112
Sources ID:
92391
Notes:
Accession Number: 129995000; Yeshi, Karma 1 Wangdi, Tendrel 2 Qusar, Namgyal 3 Nettles, James 4 Craig, Sienna R. 5 Schrempf, Mona 6 Wangchuk, Phurpa 7; Email Address: phurpaw@yahoo.com; Affiliation: 1: Wangbama Central School, Thimphu District, Bhutan 2: Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan 3: Qusar Tibetan Healing Centre, P.O. Sidhpur, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India 4: Nettles Consulting LLC, GA, USA 5: Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, USA 6: Central Asian Seminar, Institute of Asian and African Studies, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany 7: Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Australia; Source Info: Sep2018, Vol. 223, p99; Subject Term: PHYTOTHERAPY; Subject Term: MINERAL analysis; Subject Term: DATABASES; Subject Term: MEDICINAL plants; Subject Term: TIBETAN medicine; Subject Term: METALS; Subject Term: PHARMACEUTICAL chemistry; Subject Term: SALT; Subject Term: TEXTBOOKS; Subject Term: TRADITIONAL medicine; Subject Term: PHYTOCHEMICALS; Subject Term: BHUTAN; Author-Supplied Keyword: Bhutanese traditional medicine; Author-Supplied Keyword: Chemical identification; Author-Supplied Keyword: Geopharmaceuticals; Author-Supplied Keyword: Himalayan Sowa Rigpa; Author-Supplied Keyword: Minerals; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332812 Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332811 Metal Heat Treating; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332810 Coating, engraving, cold and heat treating and allied activities; NAICS/Industry Codes: 311942 Spice and Extract Manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 212393 Other Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining; NAICS/Industry Codes: 311940 Seasoning and dressing manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 323119 Other printing; Number of Pages: 14p; Document Type: ArticleAccession Number: 129995000; Yeshi, Karma 1 Wangdi, Tendrel 2 Qusar, Namgyal 3 Nettles, James 4 Craig, Sienna R. 5 Schrempf, Mona 6 Wangchuk, Phurpa 7; Email Address: phurpaw@yahoo.com; Affiliation: 1: Wangbama Central School, Thimphu District, Bhutan 2: Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan 3: Qusar Tibetan Healing Centre, P.O. Sidhpur, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India 4: Nettles Consulting LLC, GA, USA 5: Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, USA 6: Central Asian Seminar, Institute of Asian and African Studies, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany 7: Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Australia; Source Info: Sep2018, Vol. 223, p99; Subject Term: PHYTOTHERAPY; Subject Term: MINERAL analysis; Subject Term: DATABASES; Subject Term: MEDICINAL plants; Subject Term: TIBETAN medicine; Subject Term: METALS; Subject Term: PHARMACEUTICAL chemistry; Subject Term: SALT; Subject Term: TEXTBOOKS; Subject Term: TRADITIONAL medicine; Subject Term: PHYTOCHEMICALS; Subject Term: BHUTAN; Author-Supplied Keyword: Bhutanese traditional medicine; Author-Supplied Keyword: Chemical identification; Author-Supplied Keyword: Geopharmaceuticals; Author-Supplied Keyword: Himalayan Sowa Rigpa; Author-Supplied Keyword: Minerals; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332812 Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332811 Metal Heat Treating; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332810 Coating, engraving, cold and heat treating and allied activities; NAICS/Industry Codes: 311942 Spice and Extract Manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 212393 Other Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining; NAICS/Industry Codes: 311940 Seasoning and dressing manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 323119 Other printing; Number of Pages: 14p; Document Type: ArticleAccession Number: 129995000; Yeshi, Karma 1 Wangdi, Tendrel 2 Qusar, Namgyal 3 Nettles, James 4 Craig, Sienna R. 5 Schrempf, Mona 6 Wangchuk, Phurpa 7; Email Address: phurpaw@yahoo.com; Affiliation: 1: Wangbama Central School, Thimphu District, Bhutan 2: Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan 3: Qusar Tibetan Healing Centre, P.O. Sidhpur, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India 4: Nettles Consulting LLC, GA, USA 5: Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, USA 6: Central Asian Seminar, Institute of Asian and African Studies, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany 7: Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Australia; Source Info: Sep2018, Vol. 223, p99; Subject Term: PHYTOTHERAPY; Subject Term: MINERAL analysis; Subject Term: DATABASES; Subject Term: MEDICINAL plants; Subject Term: TIBETAN medicine; Subject Term: METALS; Subject Term: PHARMACEUTICAL chemistry; Subject Term: SALT; Subject Term: TEXTBOOKS; Subject Term: TRADITIONAL medicine; Subject Term: PHYTOCHEMICALS; Subject Term: BHUTAN; Author-Supplied Keyword: Bhutanese traditional medicine; Author-Supplied Keyword: Chemical identification; Author-Supplied Keyword: Geopharmaceuticals; Author-Supplied Keyword: Himalayan Sowa Rigpa; Author-Supplied Keyword: Minerals; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332812 Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332811 Metal Heat Treating; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332810 Coating, engraving, cold and heat treating and allied activities; NAICS/Industry Codes: 311942 Spice and Extract Manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 212393 Other Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining; NAICS/Industry Codes: 311940 Seasoning and dressing manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 323119 Other printing; Number of Pages: 14p; Document Type: ArticleAccession Number: 129995000; Yeshi, Karma 1 Wangdi, Tendrel 2 Qusar, Namgyal 3 Nettles, James 4 Craig, Sienna R. 5 Schrempf, Mona 6 Wangchuk, Phurpa 7; Email Address: phurpaw@yahoo.com; Affiliation: 1: Wangbama Central School, Thimphu District, Bhutan 2: Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan 3: Qusar Tibetan Healing Centre, P.O. Sidhpur, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India 4: Nettles Consulting LLC, GA, USA 5: Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, USA 6: Central Asian Seminar, Institute of Asian and African Studies, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany 7: Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Australia; Source Info: Sep2018, Vol. 223, p99; Subject Term: PHYTOTHERAPY; Subject Term: MINERAL analysis; Subject Term: DATABASES; Subject Term: MEDICINAL plants; Subject Term: TIBETAN medicine; Subject Term: METALS; Subject Term: PHARMACEUTICAL chemistry; Subject Term: SALT; Subject Term: TEXTBOOKS; Subject Term: TRADITIONAL medicine; Subject Term: PHYTOCHEMICALS; Subject Term: BHUTAN; Author-Supplied Keyword: Bhutanese traditional medicine; Author-Supplied Keyword: Chemical identification; Author-Supplied Keyword: Geopharmaceuticals; Author-Supplied Keyword: Himalayan Sowa Rigpa; Author-Supplied Keyword: Minerals; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332812 Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332811 Metal Heat Treating; NAICS/Industry Codes: 332810 Coating, engraving, cold and heat treating and allied activities; NAICS/Industry Codes: 311942 Spice and Extract Manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 212393 Other Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining; NAICS/Industry Codes: 311940 Seasoning and dressing manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 323119 Other printing; Number of Pages: 14p; Document Type: ArticleAccession Number: 131940738; Mullasseri, Sileesh Warrier, Rekha R. Shakti, Siva Deobhanj, Sanghamitra Kumar, V. Anoop Udham, P. K. Balaji, S. Madhu, Gita Naik, Pavithra; Source Info: 9/25/2018, Vol. 115 Issue 6, p1021; Subject Term: BHUTANESE medicine; Subject Term: THERAPEUTIC use of minerals; Number of Pages: 1/2p; Document Type: ArticleAccession Number: 131940738; Mullasseri, Sileesh Warrier, Rekha R. Shakti, Siva Deobhanj, Sanghamitra Kumar, V. Anoop Udham, P. K. Balaji, S. Madhu, Gita Naik, Pavithra; Source Info: 9/25/2018, Vol. 115 Issue 6, p1021; Subject Term: BHUTANESE medicine; Subject Term: THERAPEUTIC use of minerals; Number of Pages: 1/2p; Document Type: ArticleAccession Number: 131940738; Mullasseri, Sileesh Warrier, Rekha R. Shakti, Siva Deobhanj, Sanghamitra Kumar, V. Anoop Udham, P. K. Balaji, S. Madhu, Gita Naik, Pavithra; Source Info: 9/25/2018, Vol. 115 Issue 6, p1021; Subject Term: BHUTANESE medicine; Subject Term: THERAPEUTIC use of minerals; Number of Pages: 1/2p; Document Type: ArticleAccession Number: 131940738; Mullasseri, Sileesh Warrier, Rekha R. Shakti, Siva Deobhanj, Sanghamitra Kumar, V. Anoop Udham, P. K. Balaji, S. Madhu, Gita Naik, Pavithra; Source Info: 9/25/2018, Vol. 115 Issue 6, p1021; Subject Term: BHUTANESE medicine; Subject Term: THERAPEUTIC use of minerals; Number of Pages: 1/2p; Document Type: ArticleDOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2018.05.007; DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2018.05.007; ISSN 0378-8741
Collection:
Himalayan and Tibetan Medicine
Visibility:
Public (group default)
Abstract:
(Show)
Ethnopharmacological relevanceGeological materials, such as minerals, have a long history of usage as ingredients in multicompound formulations of Himalayan Sowa Rigpa medicine – as well as in its localized form of Bhutanese traditional medicine (BTM) – for treating various disorders for over thousand years. Yet, hardly any scientific research has been done on their ethnopharmacological efficacy and chemistry.
Aim of the study
This study documents and correlates the rarely explored ethnopharmacological and chemical identification of various minerals and their ethnomedicinal uses in BTM formulations for the first time.
Material and methods
A five stage cross-disciplinary process was conducted as follows: (1) a review of classical literature of Sowa Rigpa texts (Tibetan medical texts, pharmacopoeias and formularies) that are still in use today; (2) listing of mineral ingredients according to Sowa Rigpa names, followed by identification with common English and chemical names, as well as re-translating their ethnomedical uses; (3) cross-checking the chemical names and chemical composition of identified Sowa Rigpa minerals with various geological mineral databases and mineral handbooks; (4) authentication and standardization of Sowa Rigpa names through open forum discussion with diverse BTM practitioners; (5) further confirmation of the chemical names of identified minerals by consulting different experts and pharmacognosists.
Results
Our current study lists 120 minerals as described in Sowa Rigpa medical textbooks most of which we were able to chemically identify, and of which 28 are currently used in BTM herbo-mineral formulations. Out of these 28 mineral ingredients, 5 originate from precious metal and stone, 10 stem from earth, mud and rocks, 8 are salts, and 5 concern ‘essences’ and exudates.
Conclusions
Our study identified 120 mineral ingredients described in Sowa Rigpa medical textbooks, out of which 28 are currently used. They are crucial in formulating 108 multicompound prescription medicines in BTM presently in use for treating more than 135 biomedically defined ailments.