Abstract
Tuttha is a mineral, which is used in the form of incinerated (bhasma), purified or added to herbal or herbomineral formulations in different dosage forms of Ayurveda. Ayurveda classical texts indicate to use in skin diseases, ulcer, sinus, worm infection, vitiligo, obesity, pain, asthma, hyper acidity, hemorrhoids and diseases of eyes etc. But analytical standards of Tuttha and Tuttha Bhasma are not reported till date. So it is an effort to evaluate and compare the properties of crude Tuttha before purification and after purification and also to compare the properties of Tuttha Bhasma processed by three different procedures. Crude Tuttha was obtained and chemical composition was evaluated. For purification as per classical texts Tuttha was dipped in lemon juice and triturated for 6 hours till it became dry. Purified Tuttha was incinerated in procedure I, Purified Tuttha and purified Sulphur (Gandhaka) was together incinerated in procedure II, Purified Tuttha was again triturated with purified Sulphur (Gandhaka), Borax (Tankana) and Artocarpus lakoocha (Lakuca) juice in procedure III and heated to form ash (Bhasma) as per classical texts. Quantitative analysis revealed that Tuttha before purification contains copper - 23.78 %, Sulphur - 11.98%, Iron - 0.33%. After purification of Tuttha with Lemon juice, the content of copper was 26.74%, iron was 0.76% and sulphur was 8.46%. Tuttha bhasma prepared by 3 different procurers fulfilled all the qualities of Bhasma pareeksha (Ayurvedic parameters). Tuttha bhasma I was found to contain 66.74% of Cu, 8.72% of S and 1.59% of Fe. Tuttha bhasma II was found to contain 48.91% of Cu, 7.15% of S and 0.99% of Fe. Tuttha bhasma III was found to contain 15.06% of Cu, 8.63% of S, 0.61% of Fe and addition of 5.30% of Na was observed. The result showed that copper content was increased in Tuttha bhasma I (66.74%) as compared to that in crude Tuttha (23.78%).

Key words: Tuttha, Bhasma, Puta, Tamra, Copper sulphate