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Siddha Drugs

Siddha pharmacology (Gunapaadam) deals with the detailed study of Siddha drugs. This branch of Siddha medicine describes

I. Raw drugs used in Siddha (Moolaporutkal)
II. Purification (Suddhi) of raw drugs and
III. Medicinal preparations

Siddha pharmacology is based on the concept of five primordial elements or panchabhootham and taste (suvai) of the drug. Innumerable varieties of herbs, mineral and animal products find mention in Siddha literature.

I. Raw drugs used in Siddha

On the basis of Five Element (Panchabhootham) theory, raw/crude drugs are divided into five major categories based on the predominant element they possess.

For example, among metals,

Metal
 		Predominant element
Gold
 Earth
Lead
 Water
Copper
 Fire
Iron
 Air
Zinc
 Space

Here, the metal gold will exhibit characters and properties of the element earth as it is the predominant element in its formation and the other metals can be linked correspondingly.

Based on taste, raw drugs are divided into six categories, as follows:

Medicinal Herb
 		Predominant Taste
Sesamum indicum
 Sweet
Tamarindus indicus
 Sour
Cassia tora
 Salty
Andrographis paniculata
 Bitter
Elettaria cardamomum
 Pungent
Saraca asoka
 Astringent
From the above cited examples, it can be understood that Sesamum indicum will exhibit the properties of the sweet taste due to its dominance.

Based on their origin, raw drugs are categorized into the following classes:

  1. Plant origin (Mooligai vaguppu)
  2. Metals and Minerals (Dhathu vaguppu)
  3. Animal origin (Seevam vaguppu)

Raw drugs based on Plant Origin

Herbal raw drugs (Mooligai moolaporutkal) are classified further into 11 sub-divisions based on the plant part used in preparation of a medicine.

In certain plants, the medicinal value may be attributed to a particular plant part like root, leaves, flowers etc., which is used.

E.g. Zingiber officinale is used for the medicinal value of its rhizhome only.

Raw drugs based on Metals and Minerals

In the Siddha system of medicine, use of metals and minerals is very much advocated. The depth of their knowledge in the field of minerals is clearly evident from the way the drug classification has been done.

Siddha literature describes 220 minerals which are of immense medicinal value. The metals and minerals are studied under the following four heads:

  1. Metals (Ulogam)
  2. Minerals (Karasaaram)
  3. Mercury and Arsenic compound (Pashanam)
  4. Other minerals (Uparasam)
Raw drugs based on Animal Origin

Raw drugs obtained from animal kingdom are also used for medicinal preparations in Siddha.

II. Purification process (Suddhi)

Purification of raw drugs is a process aimed at both purification as well as concentration of the raw drug. It usually involves processes like cleaning, frying, soaking and grinding with herbal juices until impurities are removed. No medicinal preparation is done without prior Suddhi process. This process helps raw material/crude drugs (moolaporutkal) to lose their undesirable or toxic effect and thereby aid better dosage efficacy.

III. Medicinal Preparations

Methods of plant containing drug preparations are based on the concept of taste, i.e., on compatible taste (Natpu Suvai) and inimical taste (Pagai Suvai).

The tabulation below explains this concept for each taste, which forms the basis for medicinal preparations of plant origin.

Suvai (Taste)
 Compatible taste(Natpu suvai)
 Inimical taste (Pagai suvai)
Astringent (Thuvarppu) 
 Salty (Uvarppu) 

Sour (Pulippu)

Bitter (Kaippu)

Pungent (Kaarppu)
Salty (Uvarppu) 
 Sweet (Inippu)

Bitter (Kaippu)

Pungent (Kaarppu)

Sour (Pulippu)

Astringent (Thuvarppu)
Sweet (Inippu)  

Salty (Uvarppu)

Sour (Pulippu)

Bitter (Kaippu)

Pungent (Kaarppu)
Bitter (Kaippu) 
 Pungent (Kaarppu)

Sour (Pulippu)

Sweet (Inippu)

Salty (Uvarppu)

Astringent (Thuvarppu)
Pungent (Kaarppu)
 -

Sweet (Inippu)

Salty (Uvarppu)

Astringent (Thuvarppu)

Sour (Pulippu)

Bitter (Kaippu)
 Sour (pulippu)
 Sweet (Inippu)

Salty (Uvarppu)

Astringent (Thuvarppu)

Bitter (Kaippu)

Pungent (Kaarppu)
Medicinal preparations belonging to the other two classes, viz., metals & minerals and that of animal origin are based on the concept of inimical drugs (Sathru Sarakku) and compatible drug (Mithuru Sarakku). A more detailed description of this can be found in relevant Siddha literature.

Siddha system classifies all medicinal preparations into 64 categories, of which 32 are internal medications and 32 are external medications and methods.
Speciality of Siddha Pharmaceuticals
Siddhars successfully used their extensive knowledge of iatrochemistry, minerals, metals and plants from time immemorial. Processes like calcination of mercury, minerals, metals and the preparation of a super salt- ‘Muppu’, animated mercury pills with high potency possessing marvelous properties of transmuting metals and capable of rejuvenating the entire human system bear ample testimony to the fact that even in ancient times, when knowledge in chemical technology was not advanced or developed, Siddhars had an unparalleled knowledge of medicine preparation. The above processes are unique to Siddha system of medicine and are not known to other medical systems in India or other countries.

The preparations in which Siddhars specialized are metallic preparations (chunnam) which are alkaline; waxy preparations (mezhugu); and preparations which are impervious to the water and flame (kattu). These preparations have a longer shelf life and their potency and efficacy improve with time. They do wonders in very little dosage.

Siddhars also developed the knowledge of bringing inorganic substances into atomic and ionic form which can be easily absorbed in the human system when ground with herbal juices and put in the fire with a calculated number of cow dung cakes. Lakhs of such medicinal formulations are available in Siddha literature, a few printed and several others still in manuscripts and palm leaves.