Experimental measurement of kashaya Rasa (Astringent Taste)

 

Title:- Experimental measurement of kashaya Rasa (Astringent Taste)  

Dr. D. B. Puranik had submitted her dissertation in 1997 Year, for the P.G. degree M.D. Dravyaguna (Ayurvedic Pharmacology). Her guide was Dr. A.  P. Deshpande & research center was Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune (M.S.) India, & submitted to University of Pune. 

                   Dr. Puranik had done an experimental study of astringent taste (Kashaya Rasa) to prepare the unit & scale for quantitative measurement of kashaya Rasa. 

          For this study 10 Kashaya ekarasa drugs (Drugs having single astringent taste) were selected viz Arjuna, bibhitaka etc. Decoctions of each drug were prepared in distilled water & same were serially diluted. Tastes of each of them were tested starting from a maximum possible diluted solution where taste was not perceived. This point was considered as a starting point. From that point gradually concentrated solutions of decoctions were prepared and tested the point of dilution at which the kashaya Rasa was detected for the first time in each of the decoction was noted & observations were recorded.  

          The research work was concluded as follows- 

In this study Lodhra & Mocharasa were found Strongest & Weakest Astringent respectively 

1)    The observations in this study showed that the kashaya rasa of  Lodhra was detected for the first time in 1:850 dilutions. Thus 1:18 dilution forms a unit of kashaya Rasa Thus lodhra is 850/16 = 47.22 units kashaya (Strongest astringent drug). 

2)    The kashaya rasa of Mocha rasa was detected for the first time in 1:18 dilution & other drugs stood in between, Thus Mocharasa was weakest of kashaya rasa drug series &forms the unit of Kashaya rasa. 

3)    There was a general consideration that kashaya rasa is due to tannin content of in it, which was not exclusively true as per findings was not exclusively true as per findings observed in this research work.