Kamkshi / Sphatika

Yogesh S. Chavan
 Included in Uparasa by Rasavagbhata.

RRS

It is a soil found in Saurashtra region of Gujarat.

Used as colour binding agent for clothes.
Is specific compound of hydrated potassium
aluminium sulfate (Potassium alum) with
the formula K2Al(SiO) 4.24H2O. The wider class
of compounds known as alums have the related
empirical formula, AB(SO4)2.12H2O.
 Sanskrit - Kamkshi, Sphatika
Hindi - Phitakari
Telugu -Patika
Tamil - Padigaram
Malayalam- Padigaram
Kannada - Patike
Latin -Double sulphate of potassium &
aluminium
 Sphatika, Kamkshi
Tuvari
Rangada, Rangadatri, Rangadrdha
Subhra, Pitika
Mrttalaka
Phatika
Saurashtri, Saurashtraja, Suramrttika
Adhaki, mritsna
 Sort of soil first found in Saurastra region of
Gujarat state.
Now available in name of bauxite in,
Punjab, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh.
Dwaraka in Saurastra region has rich source of
special earth called, gopi chandana available in
tank known as Gopitalab.
 RRS

Acc. to RRS 2 varieties

Phataki-

Yellowish, heavy, Smooth, Vishghna, Cures
Kushta & Vrana.
Phullika-

light in wt, white, slightly transparent,
used for lepa on tamra for incineration.

Rasarnavam 7/79
Acc. to RN 2 varieties
1. Sita - white
2. Krisna- black
1. Potassium sulphate + Aluminium Sulphate in
equal molecular wt. dissolved in water
evaporate water to obtain crystals of Alum.
2. Bauxite dissolve in conc.H2SO4 & added with
Potassium sulphate dried to get Alum.
3. Alunite , KAl(SO4)2 (OH)6 is calcined &
dissolved in water filtered liquid portion dried
to get crystals of Alum.
 RRS

Purified by keeping in kanji for 3 days

AP

purified by de-watering it on fire.

When heated at 200oC it loses all molecules of water
of crystallization and become a porous mass.
Contains 45% water so weight decreases by 45%

PS
Kept on fire to evaporate crystalline water.
or
Closed in crucible & subjected to laghuputa
Bhasma is like soft white mass, it is considered as
subhra bhasma or sphatika bhasma.



Rasa- kasaya, katu, amla
Doshaghnata- Tridoshaghna
Properties- Grahi, lekhana,
Rudhir-srava-rodhi - anti-coagulant,
Netrya -(good for eyes),
Vishaghna (Anti-poisonous),
 Kanthya (good for throat),
Keshya (good for hairs),
Vranaghni (cures wound),
svitra nashaka (cures leucoderma),
Useful in parada jarana.
Excreted through sweat , urine.
 2 4 ratti
250 mg 500mg
2 4 ratti malabandhaka
15 30 ratti - vamaka
 Sphatika bhasma + mrddarashrnga ext. use for
wound healing.
Sphatika bhasma + cows milk nasyafor
nasagata rakta-pitta.
Water soln of bhasma & tankana to wash skin in
chronic dermatological afflictions.
Water soln of bhasma used for uttara vasti to clear
gonococcal infections & purulent discharge.
Soln of bhasma for avagahs sweda in piles to
arrest bleeding.
 Bark of bakula + Sphatika bhasma to massage
teeth & gums to strengthen them.
Gargling with water soln of Sphatika bhasma
nullifies the diseases of buccal cavity.
Sphatika bhasma soln also used in
Apakwa Naga bhasma sevanajanya
dosha.
 Alum is used in many subunit vaccines as
an adjuvant to enhance the body's response
to immunogens. Such vaccines include hepatitis
A, hepatitis B, and DPT.
Alum in powder or crystal form, or in styptic
pencils, is sometimes applied to cuts to prevent or
treat infection.
Alum is listed as an ingredient of some brands
of toothpaste or toothpowder & Deodarants.
Alum powder dissolved in 5 parts water has been
used to shrink hemorrhoids and stop them from
bleeding.

Ground along with alkallis & sour liquids, dried,
kept incrucible & blown in furnace to get satwa.

RRS
Sphatika bhavana in cows bile for 100 times
dried blown in furnace to get extract.
Satwa of sphatika is used in Jarana of Mercury.
 Subhra bhasma
Chatusudhadi rasa
Sankha dravaka
 KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Molecular Weight = 414.21 gm
Potassium 9.44 % K 11.37 % K2O
Aluminum 19.54 % Al 36.92 % Al2O3
Hydrogen 1.46 % H 13.05 % H2O
Sulfur 15.48 % S 38.66 % SO3
Oxygen 54.08 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.00 %
 Color- white or gray to reddish.
Luster - vitreous to pearly.
Transparency- transparent to translucent.
Crystal System - Hexagonal, trigonal
Crystal Habits - tabular to flattened rhombohedral
looking crystals. The "rhombohedrons" are actually a
combination of two trigonal pyramids.
Cleavage - fair in one direction (basal), but only
seen in the larger crystals.
 Fracture is conchoidal to uneven.
Hardness is 3.5 - 4.
Specific Gravity - 2.7 - 2.8
Streak - white.
Thank you !