Exothermic Reaction for Veerya Analysis
of Jatiphala (Myristica Fragrans Houtt.)
– An Experimental Study
SONALI M. PHULSAGAR, MANJUNATH DUNDI, GIRIDHAR VEDANTAM
ABSTRACT
Background: Jatiphala (Nutmeg) a well known spices in India and is biologically termed as Myristica
fragnans Houtt. Apart from its use as a spice the plant has several uses in the traditional Ayurvedic
medicine. Its therapeutic efficacy is depending upon many factors like rasa, guna, veerya, vipaka, karma
etc. In all this factors, veerya play an important role in deciding the effect of the dravya. Veerya means
the potency of a dravya which enables the dravya to show its action. It is considered as the active
principle of a dravya. If the dravys becomes nirveerya, it means it will be unable to exit ant therapeutic
action. So veerya of drug plays vital role in Ayurvedic treatment principles. Objective: To scrutinize the
potency of the drug by exothermic and endothermic reactions which play an imperative role. Materials
and Methods: An experimental trial is done to decide the veerya of Jatiphala by using exothermic
veerya analysis method. Result: Jatiphala being ushna veerya dravya shown exothermic reaction when
added in water. Conclusion: The theory behind increasing the temperature can be stated due to ushna
veeryata of the dravya, exothermic chemical reactions occurs which produce heat.
Key-words: Jatiphala, Veerya, Exothermic reaction.
INTRODUCTION :
In ayurvedic text Acharyas
mentioned the mode of action of
dravya like;
Samyak
vipaaka
viryaani
prabhaavash chaapi udaahrutaah|
Kinchit rasena kurute karma
viryena cha aparam||
[Ch. Su. 26/71]
That means, Some drug
manifest their action by virtue
of their taste; some by virtue of
their potency or other qualities;
some by vipaka & other by their
special effects1. These veerya may
be of two types : Ushna (hot) and
Shita (cold). In reality, it is the
ultra chemical action of the drugs.
Their translation as hot or cold is
not appropriate as these denote
only to the temperature status,
while the veerya is something
more than that. Veerya is given
Dr. Sonali M. Phulsagar, PG Scholar,
Dr. Manjunath Dundi, PG Scholar,
Dr. Giridhar Vedantam, Asst Professor,
Department of Dravya Guna, KLEU Shri BMK
Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Belgaum, Karnataka.
Specially Contributed to "The Antiseptic"
Vol. 113 No. 3 & P : 40 - 41
40
prime importance in classics as
this decides the karma.
Jatiphala (Myristica fragrans
Houtt.) commonly known as
Nutmeg, is an herb belongs to
the family Myristicaceae, Nutmeg
which is the actual seed of the
tree, while mace is the dried
“lacy” reddish covering on the
seed. While explaining Nutmeg in
classics is has been mention that
it posses Ushna veerya.
Many chemical reactions
release energy in the form of
heat, light, or sound. These are
exothermic reactions. Exothermic
reactions may occur spontaneously
and result in higher randomness or
entropy (ΔS > 0) of the system.
They are denoted by a negative
heat flow (heat is lost to the
surroundings) and decrease in
enthalpy (ΔH < 0). In the lab,
exothermic reactions produce heat
or may even be explosive.
There are other chemical
reactions that must absorb
energy in order to proceed.
These are endothermic reactions.
Endothermic reactions cannot
THE ANTISEPTIC
occur spontaneously. Work
must be done in order to get
these reactions to occur. When
endothermic reactions absorb
energy, a temperature drop is
measured during the reaction.
Endothermic reactions are
characterized by positive heat flow
(into the reaction) and an increase
in enthalpy (+ΔH).
Examples of Endothermic and
Exothermic Processes:
Photosynthesis is an example
of an endothermic chemical
reaction. In this process, plants
use the energy from the sun to
convert carbon dioxide and water
into glucose and oxygen. This
reaction requires
15MJ of energy (sunlight) for
every kilogram of glucose that is
produced:
Sunlight + 6CO2 (g) + H2O (l)
= C6H12O6 (aq.) + 6O2 (g)
An example of an exothermic
reaction is the mixture of sodium
and chlorine to yield table salt.
This reaction produces 411 kJ of
energy for each mole of salt that
is produced:
March 2016
Table No. 1: Exothermic reaction of Myristica fragrans Houtt.
Media
Water
After adding Jatiphala Churna
(Myristica fragrans Houtt.)
Duration After 1After 3 After 5 After 1 After 3 After 5
minute minutesminutes minute minutes minutes
Change in
Temperature75.70f75.70f75.70f75.90f76.60f77.50f
Na(s) + 0.5Cl2(s) = NaCl(s)
Figure 4 : Showing Jatiphala
churna sample after 1 minute
Fig. 1: Seeds of Jatiphala
By keeping it in consideration,
an attempt is made to get the
exothermic reaction of Jatiphala
for its veerya analysis.
Figure 5 : Showing Jatiphala
churna sample after 3 minutes
Demonstrations to Perform:
Many
exothermic
and
endothermic reactions involve
toxic chemicals, extreme heat or
cold, or messy disposal methods.
These demonstrations are safe
and easy.1
Fig. 2: Powder of Jatiphala
Materials and Methods:
Exothermic Reaction For Veerya
Analysis:
Procedure:
In a 100 ml of beaker, 10 ml of
water taken and temperature were
noted down by using thermometer
for three times, then after 10 grams
of Jatiphala churna is added in
water, stirred with the help of a
glass rod for proper mixing of
churna in water and changes in
the temperature were noted down
after 1 minute, 3 minutes and 5
minutes and a hour3.
Figure 6 : Showing Jatiphala
churna sample after 5 minutes
Figure 3: Showing distilled
water sample
Results :
Any changes in the temperature
of distilled water is observed for
three consecutive times and also
change in temperature of water
after adding Jatiphala churna also
seen and noted.
Table No.1
Discussion and Conclusion:
From the above observation it
is clear that Jatiphala (Myristica
fragrans Houtt.) which is ushna
veerya dravya, showed exothermic
reaction and there is raised in
temperature veries from 10 - 20f.
Temperature of water remained
constant for 75.7 0f, but after
March 2016
Acknowledgement:
adding Jatiphala churna the raise
in temperature were noted from
75.90 f, 76.60 f and 77.50 f after
1 min, 3 min and 5 min respectively.
The theory behind increasing the
temperature can be stated like, due
to ushna veeryata of the dravya,
exothermic chemical reactions
occurs which produce heat. The
thermal energy given off during
this chemical reaction causes the
mercury in the thermometer to
expand and rise up the column
of the thermometer tube4.
THE ANTISEPTIC
The author sincerely thank to
the Principal and Central research
Facility (AYUSH approved
ASU drug testing laboratory,
KLEUs Shri BMK Ayurveda
Mahavidyalaya, Belgaum.) for
providing the necessary facilities
to carry out this research work.
REFERENCES :
1.
Acharya charaka, Edited by Dr. Ravidatta tripathi, Charaka
Samhita, Varanasi; Chaukhambha Sanskrit prakashana: 2006.
Pg. 577.
2.http://chemistry.about.com/cs/generalchemistry/a/aa051903a.
htm
3.
Dr.S.C.Dhyani, .S.C.Dhyani. Rasa Panchaka – Ayurvedic
Principles of Drug Actions. 2nd ed. Varanasi: Chaukhambha
Krishnadas academy; 2003. p.no. 115.
4.http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/exothermic.htm
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