Shilajit Botanical: None S: GirijaE: Mineral pitch
Part used: purified exudate
Energetics:
Rasa: all varieties are katu/pungent and tikta/bitter; sauvarna is also madhura/sweet, and lauha is lavana/salty
Virya: ushna/hot (tamra), shita/cool (lauha, sauvarna, rajata)
Vipaka: katu/pungent (sauvarna, lauha, tamra), madhura/sweet (rajata)
· Guna: ruksha/dry, guru/heavy
· Dosha: VPK=, P+ in excess
· Dhatu/Tissues: all
· Srotas/Systems: Urinary/Mutravaha, Nervuous/Majjavaha, Shukra-Artavavaha/Reproductive
Ayurvedic Action: dipanapachana/digestive, chedana/scratches toxins from channels, mutrkrcchraghna/alleviates painful urination, medohara/reduces fat tissue, sandhaniya/heals broken bones, medhya/enhances intellect, vajikarana/aphrodesiac, rasayana/rejuvenative to medas, tridoshaghna/alleviates all three doshas (Srikanthamurthy 2001, 344; Srikanthamurthy 1995, 403; Sharma and Dash 1988, 50-54; Nadkarni 1954; 28-32)(Pole, 2006)
Starting dosage: 500mg-5g per day. (Pole). 1-48 g or 2-3 g twice daily. Caldecott
Constituents:
Organic Constituents (e.g. benzoic acid, hippuric acid, fatty acids, resins, waxes, gums, albuminoids and vegetable matter) and inorganic constituents (e.g. calcium, potassium, nitrogen, silica, aluminum, magnesium and sodium).
Composition: upwards of 80% humus, decaying plant material acted upon by bacteria and fungi, and most notably, fulvic and humic acids.
Biphenyl Metabolites: benzocoumarin and low molecular weight oxygenated dibenzo-?-pyrones, as well as triterpenes, phenolic lipids
Trace Minerals: including antimony, cobalt, copper, iron, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorous, strontium and zinc (Tillotson 2001, 201; Bucci 2000; Ghosal et al 1988; Philips 1997; Nadkarni 1954; 28-32).
Biomedical indications: Dyspepsia, constipation, intestinal parasites, hemorrhoids, hepatits, bronchitis, asthma, consumption, skin diseases, kidney diseases, anemia, diabetes, obesity, infertility, exhaustion, epilepsy, psychosis, wounds, fractures, arthritis, cancer, aging.
Precautions:
Safety: Shilajitu is generally regarded as being quite safe, but crude unprocessed Shilajitu may contain mycotoxins from contaminating fungi such as Aspergillus niger, A. ochraceous and Trichothecium roseum, and free radicals. (Philips 1997).
Research highlights:
Central nervous system: Adult male Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally daily with Shilajitu in doses of 40 mg/kg of body weight for 7 days. Researchers noted that Shilajitu preferentially affects events in the cortical and basal forebrain cholinergic signal transduction cascade, partially explaining its traditionally ascribed nootropic and memory-improving effects (Schliebs et al 1997). Shilajitu was investigated for its potential nootropic and anxiolytic activity. The results of the study indicated that Shilajitu had significant nootropic and anxiolytic activity, and when given over a period of five days there was decrease in 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid concentrations, and an increase in the levels of dopamine, homovanillic acid and 3.4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetic acid concentrations (Jaiswal and Bhattacharya 1992).
Addiction and withdrawal: The concomitant administration of Shilajitu with morphine, from day 6 to day 10, resulted in a significant inhibition in the development of tolerance to morphine-induced analgesia. Used alone Shilajitu did not elicit any significant analgesic effects in mice (Tiwari et al 2001).
Diabetes: Researchers evaluated the effect of Shilajitu on blood glucose, lipid profile and vascular tissue in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, dosed at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg (p.o.) daily, All three doses of Shilajitu reduced blood glucose by 43.7%, 48.7% and 53.7%, respectively. Shilajitu also produced a significant reduction in total cholesterol by 14.5% 30.6% and 29.7%, triglyceride levels by 18.1%, 27.46% and 36.82%, and increased HDL levels by 21.6%, 37.6% and 34.4%, respectively (Trivedi et al 2001).
Antiulcerogenic: Researchers evaluated the antiulcerogenic activities of Shilajitu obtained from the mountains of Zarlek, in Badekshan, Afghanistan, in experimental animals. Shilajitu was found to increase the carbohydrate/protein ratio and decrease the gastric ulcer index, indicating an increased mucus barrier in the stomach (Goel et al 1990).
Antiinflammatory: Shilajitu obtained from the Zarlek mountains in Afghanistan was found to have a significant antiinflammatory effect in carrageenan-induced acute edema, granuloma pouch and adjuvant-induced arthritis, in rats (Goel et al 1990)
Caldecott, Todd, Herbal Profiles on www.toddcaldecott.com
Frawley, Dr. David, Lad, Dr. Vasant, The Yoga of Herbs, 2001 by Lotus Press
Pole, Sebastian, Ayurvedic Medicine, 2006 by Churchill Livingstone
Tillotson, Alan Keith, The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook, 2001 by Kensington Books
Tirtha, Swami Sada Shiva, The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, 1998 Ayurveda Holistic Center Press
Tierra, Michael, Planetary Herbology, 1998 by Lotus Press
Part used: purified exudate
Energetics:
Rasa: all varieties are katu/pungent and tikta/bitter; sauvarna is also madhura/sweet, and lauha is lavana/salty
Virya: ushna/hot (tamra), shita/cool (lauha, sauvarna, rajata)
Vipaka: katu/pungent (sauvarna, lauha, tamra), madhura/sweet (rajata)
· Guna: ruksha/dry, guru/heavy
· Dosha: VPK=, P+ in excess
· Dhatu/Tissues: all
· Srotas/Systems: Urinary/Mutravaha, Nervuous/Majjavaha, Shukra-Artavavaha/Reproductive
Ayurvedic Action: dipanapachana/digestive, chedana/scratches toxins from channels, mutrkrcchraghna/alleviates painful urination, medohara/reduces fat tissue, sandhaniya/heals broken bones, medhya/enhances intellect, vajikarana/aphrodesiac, rasayana/rejuvenative to medas, tridoshaghna/alleviates all three doshas (Srikanthamurthy 2001, 344; Srikanthamurthy 1995, 403; Sharma and Dash 1988, 50-54; Nadkarni 1954; 28-32)(Pole, 2006)
Starting dosage: 500mg-5g per day. (Pole). 1-48 g or 2-3 g twice daily. Caldecott
Constituents:
Organic Constituents (e.g. benzoic acid, hippuric acid, fatty acids, resins, waxes, gums, albuminoids and vegetable matter) and inorganic constituents (e.g. calcium, potassium, nitrogen, silica, aluminum, magnesium and sodium).
Composition: upwards of 80% humus, decaying plant material acted upon by bacteria and fungi, and most notably, fulvic and humic acids.
Biphenyl Metabolites: benzocoumarin and low molecular weight oxygenated dibenzo-?-pyrones, as well as triterpenes, phenolic lipids
Trace Minerals: including antimony, cobalt, copper, iron, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorous, strontium and zinc (Tillotson 2001, 201; Bucci 2000; Ghosal et al 1988; Philips 1997; Nadkarni 1954; 28-32).
Biomedical indications: Dyspepsia, constipation, intestinal parasites, hemorrhoids, hepatits, bronchitis, asthma, consumption, skin diseases, kidney diseases, anemia, diabetes, obesity, infertility, exhaustion, epilepsy, psychosis, wounds, fractures, arthritis, cancer, aging.
Precautions:
Safety: Shilajitu is generally regarded as being quite safe, but crude unprocessed Shilajitu may contain mycotoxins from contaminating fungi such as Aspergillus niger, A. ochraceous and Trichothecium roseum, and free radicals. (Philips 1997).
Research highlights:
Central nervous system: Adult male Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally daily with Shilajitu in doses of 40 mg/kg of body weight for 7 days. Researchers noted that Shilajitu preferentially affects events in the cortical and basal forebrain cholinergic signal transduction cascade, partially explaining its traditionally ascribed nootropic and memory-improving effects (Schliebs et al 1997). Shilajitu was investigated for its potential nootropic and anxiolytic activity. The results of the study indicated that Shilajitu had significant nootropic and anxiolytic activity, and when given over a period of five days there was decrease in 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid concentrations, and an increase in the levels of dopamine, homovanillic acid and 3.4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetic acid concentrations (Jaiswal and Bhattacharya 1992).
Addiction and withdrawal: The concomitant administration of Shilajitu with morphine, from day 6 to day 10, resulted in a significant inhibition in the development of tolerance to morphine-induced analgesia. Used alone Shilajitu did not elicit any significant analgesic effects in mice (Tiwari et al 2001).
Diabetes: Researchers evaluated the effect of Shilajitu on blood glucose, lipid profile and vascular tissue in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, dosed at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg (p.o.) daily, All three doses of Shilajitu reduced blood glucose by 43.7%, 48.7% and 53.7%, respectively. Shilajitu also produced a significant reduction in total cholesterol by 14.5% 30.6% and 29.7%, triglyceride levels by 18.1%, 27.46% and 36.82%, and increased HDL levels by 21.6%, 37.6% and 34.4%, respectively (Trivedi et al 2001).
Antiulcerogenic: Researchers evaluated the antiulcerogenic activities of Shilajitu obtained from the mountains of Zarlek, in Badekshan, Afghanistan, in experimental animals. Shilajitu was found to increase the carbohydrate/protein ratio and decrease the gastric ulcer index, indicating an increased mucus barrier in the stomach (Goel et al 1990).
Antiinflammatory: Shilajitu obtained from the Zarlek mountains in Afghanistan was found to have a significant antiinflammatory effect in carrageenan-induced acute edema, granuloma pouch and adjuvant-induced arthritis, in rats (Goel et al 1990)
Caldecott, Todd, Herbal Profiles on www.toddcaldecott.com
Frawley, Dr. David, Lad, Dr. Vasant, The Yoga of Herbs, 2001 by Lotus Press
Pole, Sebastian, Ayurvedic Medicine, 2006 by Churchill Livingstone
Tillotson, Alan Keith, The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook, 2001 by Kensington Books
Tirtha, Swami Sada Shiva, The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, 1998 Ayurveda Holistic Center Press
Tierra, Michael, Planetary Herbology, 1998 by Lotus Press