EVALUATION OF TRADITIONAL

PURIFICATION METHODS OF
KANDHAGAM

P. Rajalakshmi, K.L. Niraimathy, S. Moscow,

M. Abeetha,
G.Victor Rajamanickam,
CARISM,SASTRA
 Kandhagam (sulphur)
Sulphur is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Sulfur, in its native form,
is a yellow crystalline solid.

Classification of Kandhagam
General Classification
• Pirappu Kandagam
• Kozhitalai Kandagam
• VanaKenthi vaipu
• Vaipu Kandagam

Based on Colour
• White Kandagam – it cures all diseases
• Parrot nose red Kandagam – used for calcinating 9 types of metals
• Gold coloured (or) Gooseberry Kandagam – commonly used for medicine
• Black Kandagam – Rare type, Rejuvenator
 Significance of Sulphur in
Siddha
• It increases bile secretion, Laxative, Alterative,
Antimicrobial, generally excreted by duct glands.

• It is used for curing Leucoderma, Hepatomegaly,

Ascites, Peptic Ulcer, Eye disease, Cysts, Chronic
venereal diseases and skin diseases.

• It is a potent drug used for the preparation of

Rasayanam, Pills, Mezhugu and Bhasmas and
Chenduram.
 Sulphur toxicity
Sulphur is not an higlhy toxic substance. Improperly purified and irregularly
prepared Sulphur medicine if consumed over a long period then it causes toxic
effects.

The toxic feautures are

– Yellowish discolouration of conjuctiva
– Pallor of the face
– Discolouration of the skin similar to the colour of ridged gourd flower
– Disfigured and blackish teeth
– Profuse hyperhidrosis with yellowish colour
– Urine appears like goat’s urine
– Faeces is dark yellow coloured
– Bad breath (halitosis)
– Dyspepsia
– Flatulence
– Distended abdomen with pain
– Macules
 Need for purification of
Kandagam
• Detoxification implies removing the impurities
inhibiting the potency of the medicine.

• Impurities of Kandagam should be removed with

the detoxifying agent provided in Siddha
literature.

• Four detoxifying agents are used for purification

of Kandagam

• They are Milk, Henna, Banana stem, Peels of

Tamarind fruit.
Process of Sulphur Purification

Melting of Butter Melting of Sulphur in Butter

 Molten Sulphur poured into milk

Solidified sulphur in milk

This process is repeated for 30 times and the sample is analysed at initial, interim and
final stages.
 Chemical investigations
• Detoxified substance- Kandagam
• Detoxifying agent – Milk

Parameters investigated
• Estimation of Sulphur
• Estimation of Calcium
• Estimation of Phosphorous
• Estimation of Lead
• Estimation of Mercury
Investigated
chemical
parameters I SULPHUR II SULPHUR III SULPHUR I MILK II MILK III MILK
Sulphur % 39.132 46.02011 86.5871 1.860034 3.89373 4.213638

Calcium 140 140 120 160 140 100

Phosphorous 0.14535 0.18282 0.22601 0.14456 0.194306 0.23834

Mercury 0.082 0.00864 0.00942 0.00842 0.00662 0.00581

Lead 0.1157 0.3912 0.4235 0.4209 0.5741 0.3378

 Percentage of Sulphur

100

80

Sulphur (%)
60

71
.58
40

86
01
2

.02
.13
20

46
39
0
I SULPHUR II SULPHUR III SULPHUR

% OF SULPHUR IN MILK

4
% OF SULPHUR

4
3

36
37
3

21
00

89

1 4.
86

3.
1.

0
I MILK II MILK III MILK
 LEVELS OF CALCIUM IN KANDAGAM

140

CONCENTRATION IN
135
130

0
ppm
125

14

14
120

0
12
115
110
I SULPHUR II SULPHUR III SULPHUR

LEVELS OF CALCIUM IN MILK

200
CONCENTRATION IN

150
ppm

100
0
16

0
14

0
10
50

0
I MILK II MILK III MILK

Calcium is a reducing agent, used for reducing metals

It is also employed as a chelating agent (Calcium-EDTA)
 LEVELS OF PHOSPHOROUS- KANDAGAM LEVELS OF PHOSPHOROUS IN MILK

0.25 0.25
% OF PHOSPHOROUS

0.2 0.2

% in Phosphorous
0.15 0.15

4
5

83
53

60
28
0.1 0.1

23
14

18

22

43
6
45

0.
0.

0.

0.

19
14

0.
0.05 0.05

0.
0 0
I SULPHUR II SULPHUR III SULPHUR I MILK II MILK III MILK

Phosphorous, a mineral, helps build strong bones and teeth.

Phosphorous is also involved in the release of energy from fat, protein, and
carbohydrates during metabolism, and in the formation of genetic material, cell
membranes, and many enzymes.

RDA - 800 milligrams for women and men 25 to 50 years

 LEVELS OF MERCURY IN KANDAGAM

0.1

0.08
CONCENTRATION IN

0.06
ppm

2
08
0.04
0.

2
4

94
86
0.02

00
00

0.
0.
0
I SULPHUR II SULPHUR III SULPHUR

•The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set a maximum permissible level of 1 part
of methyl mercury in a million parts (1 ppm).
•Exposure to high levels of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury can permanently
damage the brain, kidneys, and developing fetus.
LEVELS OF MERCURY IN MILK

0.01
CONCENTRATION IN
0.008

0.006

2
84
ppm

2
66
00

00

1
0.004

0.

58
0.

00
0.
0.002

0
I MILK II MILK III MILK
 LEVELS OF LEAD IN KANDAGAM

0.5

CONCENTRATION IN
0.4

0.3

ppm

35
12
0.2

42
39

0.
0.
0.1

57
11
0.
0
I SULPHUR II SULPHUR III SULPHUR

Lead in dietary allowances.

• Lead perturbs multiple enzyme systems. As in most heavy metals, any ligand with sulfhydryl

groups is vulnerable. Perhaps the best-known effect is that on the production of heme.
• The FDA has set a maximum permissible level of
LEVELS OF LEAD IN MILK
10 parts per million of

0.6
CONCENTRATION IN

0.5
0.4
ppm

41
09

0.3
78
57
42

33
0.
0.

0.

0.2
0.1
0
I MILK II MILK III MILK
 Need for Detoxification
• Sulfur is present in all proteins, which makes it universally
available throughout the body for binding with mercury.

• Mercury has a particularly high affinity for thiol groups

sulphur> amides> amines>carbon> phosphate.

Mercury-induced intracellular calcium modulated

reactive oxygen species (ROS)

Cell apoptosis and necrosis

Calcium antagonists abolished ROS production. (Kim et al.,2004 )
 Calcium and lead are absorbed at the same site in the intestine
(vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene )

It prefers calcium.

The ingested lead passes though the gastrointestinal tract and is

excreted if there is also calcium present to prevent lead
absorbtion.

As more calcium is consumed, less lead is able to get into the

bloodstream.

The Centre for Disease Control guidelines for prevention of

childhood lead poisoning recommends adequate dietary calcium
and iron as measures to prevent lead toxicity
Uses of Sulphur – Siddha Literature

It is used for curing Leucoderma, Hepatomegaly, Ascites,

Peptic Ulcer, Eye disease, Cysts, Chronic venereal
diseases and skin diseases.

Uses of Lead – Siddha Literature

It is used for curing Leucoderma, Ascites, Peptic Ulcer,
Eye disease, Chronic venereal diseases and skin
diseases.

Uses of Mercury– Siddha Literature

It is used for curing Leucoderma, Peptic Ulcer, Eye
disease, Chronic venereal diseases.
 Conclusion

The Detoxification of Sulphur by traditional method

involves removing of toxic substances both in the
medicine and also safeguarding the body from heavy
metal toxicity during the course of administration of the
drug.

The nutritive value of the detoxifying agent-Milk also

serves as a supplement for Balanced diet
 References
Thyagara Mudaliyar,GunapadamThaathu Jeeva vaguppu, IIIrd Edn, Indian Medical Association,
1981.

P. Jeyaraj, Siddha Toxicology, Ist Ed. Department of Indian System of Medicine and
Homeopathy, 1999.

Kuppusamy Mudaliyar, Siddha Vaithiya thiratu.

Van Cromphaut SJ, Dewerchin M, Hoenderop JG, Stockmans I, Van Herck E, Kato S, Bindels
RJ, Colle D Carmeliet P, Bouillon R, Carmeliet G Duodenal calcium absorption in vitamin D
receptor-knockout mice: functional and molecular aspects. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Nov
6;98(23):13324-9.

Sang Hyun Kim and Raghubir P. Sharma Mercury-induced apoptosis and necrosis in murine
macrophages: role of calcium-induced reactive oxygen species and p38 mitogen-activated protein
kinase signaling Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology Volume 196, Issue 1, 1 April 2004, 47-57.

Title 21—Food and Drugs Chapter I—Food and Drug Administration Department of Health
and Human Services Subchapter D—Drugs for Human Use Code of federal regulations. United
States Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved on 1 May 2007.

Preventing Lead Exposure in Young Children: A Housing-Based Approach to Primary

Prevention of Lead Poisoning (2004) – Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention, 2004.