Bhavana Samskara – Grinding or Trituration Till Dryness

In Ayurveda, plants, metals, minerals, animal-origin materials and many other natural products are used in the treatment. While preparing medicines, often we see that some liquids are used for grinding herbal / metallic powders. This is used in various conditions such as tablet preparation, purification of metals, minerals etc. Bhavana is the process in which the liquids are added to powdered ingredients and ground till the liquid dries by itself.

Introduction

Bhavana is also called Samskara in Sanskrit, sanskar is said to be
‘samskaro hi guna antara aadhaanam uchyate’
(saṃskāro hi guṇāntarādhānamucyate|).

That means ‘Samskaram’ is a process which transforms the inherent qualities of a substance. It leads to the addition of new properties or qualitative improvement. Bhavana carries the qualities and action of liquid media to the powdered drugs which get triturated.
Usually herbal juices, infusions, decoctions, milk, cow urine, etc. are used for Bhavana.
The liquid used for Bhavana is called Bhavana Dravya.
The grinding is done under shade or sometimes under sunlight or on a hot pan.

Bhavana means draveṇa abhimiśrita vimarditam, which means that the substance that which should be made poison-free, should be triturated with a liquid.

In Ayurveda, plants, metals, minerals, animal-origin materials and many other natural products are used in the treatment. While preparing medicines, often we see that some liquids are used for grinding herbal / metallic powders. This is used in various conditions such as tablet preparation, purification of metals, minerals etc. Bhavana is the process in which the liquids are added to powdered ingredients and ground till the liquid dries by itself.

Definition of bhavana according to Rasatarangini,
यच्चूर्णितस्य धात्वादे द्रवैः संपेष्य शोषणम् ।
भावनं तन्मतं विज्ञै भावना च निगद्यते ॥
(रसतरङ्गिणी, २/४९)
yaccūrṇitasya dhātvāde dravaiḥ saṃpeṣya śoṣaṇam |
bhāvanaṃ tanmataṃ vijñai bhāvanā ca nigadyate ||
(rasataraṅgiṇī, 2/49)

Triturating or grinding the powder of metal etc. substances after adding with liquid substances like water, decoction, fresh juice etc. till the liquid portion gets dried is known as Bhavana.
Bhavana helps in transforming the fundamental qualities of a substance by addition of new properties.
The medicinal qualities of the liquid are transferred to the ground powders.
It helps in regulating the potency (Gunantara/ guṇāntara) of the substance which undergoes bhavana,
addition of new properties (Gunadhana/guṇādhāna),
augmentation (Gunotkarsha/ guṇotkarṣa), or reduction or removal of undesired / poisonous properties (Gunahani/ guṇahāni).

Requirements of Bhavana

Medicinal powders – Bhavita Dravya
Liquid media like water, fresh juice, decoction etc. – Bhavana Dravya
The amount of liquid added should generate a soft mass and keep the material moist during trituration.
If the nature of liquids for Bhavana is not specified, it should be equal or similar in properties to powdered drugs and are chosen as per the desired therapeutic indications.
When Bhavana duration is not specified, then it should be carried out for 7 days apart from mechanical procedures, like grinding and so on. Each day of labor is considered as 8 hours.

Signs of completion of Bhavana

To ensure the completion of the process, ‘subhavita lakshana’ should be carefully observed.
At the end of trituration, the mixture should be soft and fine in consistency and and if pressed, should turn into a flat cake, and pills can be made easily without sticking to the fingers.
If these features are observed, it is indicative of proper trituration and suitability for medicinal preparation.

Equipment

Khalwa yantra or pestle and mortar are used for bhavana procedure if the quantity of drug is very small.
But in bigger pharmaceutical companies, edge runners, end runners, and wet grinders are used for the same.
Continuous grinding is imperative, as interrupted grinding causes dryness of the material, which needs more liquid in levitation.

Drying, Storage

The final product of Bhavana should be dried either in sunlight or in the shade. It can be dried as it is or after making pallets. Finished products should be stored in airtight, dry and sterile conditions. Containers should be nonreactive, especially with the content being stored in them.

Factors Affecting Bhavana

· Proportion of ingredients
· Apparatus used for grinding
· Duration of Bhavana
· Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, sunlight etc.
Variations in these factors will affect the Bhavana process and may affect the quality of the final product.

Effect of Bhavana

A. Physical Changes
· Hard material turns soft.
· Size of the particles gets reduced.
· Induction of trace elements.
· Increase in surface area
· Decrease in bulk of formulation

B. Chemical Changes
· Materials undergo chemical interaction
· Evaporation of chemical impurities
· Formulation of desired compound

C. Biological Changes
· Increase in the absorption
· Increase in bio-assimilation
· Increase in bioavailability
· Increase of potency of the drug
· Nullifies toxicity of the drug

Importance of Bhavana

· To change the therapeutic efficacy of drug
· To enhance or control any pharmacological action
· To increase certain effects or in general possess Yogavahitva
· Removal of ingredients usually having opposite characteristics
· Pharmaceutical processing

Precautions

(ii) Trituration or grinding should be continuous and it should be continued until the attainment of Subhavita Lakshana (well triturated) and the liquid media must be mixed well.
(iii) After trituration, the material should be allowed for complete drying.
After completing the procedure, the material should be dried in sunlight or may be done in the shade. After drying, the final product should be stored in airtight, dry, and sterile containers. Containers should be nonreactive, especially with the content being stored in them.

Examples

Bhavana Definition as per Rasa Tarangini
यच्चूर्णितस्य धात्वादे द्रवैः संपेष्य शोषणम् ।
भावनं तन्मतं विज्ञै भावना च निगद्यते ॥
(रसतरङ्गिणी, २/४९)
yaccūrṇitasya dhātvāde dravaiḥ saṃpeṣya śoṣaṇam |
bhāvanaṃ tanmataṃ vijñai bhāvanā ca nigadyate ||
(rasataraṅgiṇī, 2/49)

Triturating or grinding the powder of metal etc. substances after adding with liquid substances like water, decoction, fresh juice etc. till the liquid portion gets dried is known as Bhavana.
Bhavana helps in transforming the fundamental qualities of a substance by addition of new properties.
The medicinal qualities of the liquid are transferred to the ground powders.
It helps in regulating the potency (Gunantara/ guṇāntara) of the substance which undergoes bhavana,
addition of new properties (Gunadhana/guṇādhāna),
augmentation (Gunotkarsha/ guṇotkarṣa), or reduction or removal of undesired / poisonous properties (Gunahani/ guṇahāni).

Requirements of Bhavana

Medicinal powders – Bhavita Dravya
Liquid media like water, fresh juice, decoction etc. – Bhavana Dravya
The amount of liquid added should generate a soft mass and keep the material moist during trituration.
If the nature of liquids for Bhavana is not specified, it should be equal or similar in properties to powdered drugs and are chosen as per the desired therapeutic indications.
When Bhavana duration is not specified, then it should be carried out for 7 days apart from mechanical procedures, like grinding and so on. Each day of labor is considered as 8 hours.

Signs of completion of Bhavana

To ensure the completion of the process, ‘subhavita lakshana’ should be carefully observed.
At the end of trituration, the mixture should be soft and fine in consistency and and if pressed, should turn into a flat cake, and pills can be made easily without sticking to the fingers.
If these features are observed, it is indicative of proper trituration and suitability for medicinal preparation.

Equipment

Khalwa yantra or pestle and mortar are used for bhavana procedure if the quantity of drug is very small.
But in bigger pharmaceutical companies, edge runners, end runners, and wet grinders are used for the same.
Continuous grinding is imperative, as interrupted grinding causes dryness of the material, which needs more liquid in levitation.

Drying, Storage

The final product of Bhavana should be dried either in sunlight or in the shade. It can be dried as it is or after making pallets. Finished products should be stored in airtight, dry and sterile conditions. Containers should be nonreactive, especially with the content being stored in them.

Factors Affecting Bhavana

· Proportion of ingredients
· Apparatus used for grinding
· Duration of Bhavana
· Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, sunlight etc.
Variations in these factors will affect the Bhavana process and may affect the quality of the final product.

Effect of Bhavana

A. Physical Changes
· Hard material turns soft.
· Size of the particles gets reduced.
· Induction of trace elements.
· Increase in surface area
· Decrease in bulk of formulation

B. Chemical Changes
· Materials undergo chemical interaction
· Evaporation of chemical impurities
· Formulation of desired compound

C. Biological Changes
· Increase in the absorption
· Increase in bio-assimilation
· Increase in bioavailability
· Increase of potency of the drug
· Nullifies toxicity of the drug

Importance of Bhavana

· To change the therapeutic efficacy of drug
· To enhance or control any pharmacological action
· To increase certain effects or in general possess Yogavahitva
· Removal of ingredients usually having opposite characteristics
· Pharmaceutical processing

Precautions

(ii) Trituration or grinding should be continuous and it should be continued until the attainment of Subhavita Lakshana (well triturated) and the liquid media must be mixed well.
(iii) After trituration, the material should be allowed for complete drying.
After completing the procedure, the material should be dried in sunlight or may be done in the shade. After drying, the final product should be stored in airtight, dry, and sterile containers. Containers should be nonreactive, especially with the content being stored in them.

Examples

Article by Dr Sudarshan CH