GO-GHRITA

                                                                                GO-GHRITA

                                                               

·        Introduction:-

In India prevention of milk and milk products is primarily achieved by heat induced desiccation. Ghee is obtained by clarification of milk fat and there is no similar product in other countries. It is by far the most ubiquitous indigenous milk product and is prominent in the hierarchy of Indian dietary. Being a rich source of energy fat soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids and due to long shelf life at room temperature (20 to 40 c). 80% of ghee produced is used for culinary purposes. The remaining 20% is used for confectionery, including small amounts consumed on auspicious occasions like religious, ceremonies.

Since, buffalo milk constituents more than 55% of total milk production in India and because of its higher fat content (6-7%) ghee is manufactured mostly from buffalo milk.Due to lack of carotenoids in buffalo milk ghee prepared from milk is white unlike cow ghee which has golden yellow color. Because of its pleasing flavor and aroma, ghee has always had a supreme status as an indigenous product in India.

Go-ghrita is very important variety of Jangama Sneha. Ghee is the elixir for daily life in human being. In routine dietetics, ghee is advised either in pure form or medicated or mixed with food articles etc. as well as external application.

Various Acharyas has given description about Ghrita under the heading of  “ghrita varga”. In that they have explained different types of Ghrita i.e. Go-Ghrita, Mahisha- Ghrita, Stree Ghrita, etc. all type of ghrita is having various importance but according to Ayurveda mostly Go-Ghrita is mostly used as medicated purpose.

·        Physiochemical charecteristc:-

Chemically, ghee is a complex lipid of glycerides (usually mixed) free fatty acids phospholipids, sterols, esters, fat soluble vitamins, carbonyls, hydrocarbons , carotenoids, (only in ghee derived from cow milk), small amount of charred casein and traces of calcium, phosphorus, iron etc. it contains not more than 0.3% moisture. Glycerides constitutes of about 98% of total material, of the remaining Constituents of about 2% sterols (mostly cholesterol) occurs to the extent of about 0.5%.

          Ghee has melting range of 28 to 44 c. its refractometer reading is from 40-45 at 40⁰ c. the saponification number is not less than 220. Ghee is not highly unsaturated , as is evident from its iodine number of from 26 to 38. The Reichert – Meissl number (RM) of cow ghee varies from 26 to 29 whereas goat ghee is slightly less. Sheep and buffalo ghee on other hand, have higher RM numbers to about 32. In general ghee is required to have a RM number of not less than 28.

The fatty acid profile of glycerides of ghee is very complex and still not completely elucidated. Recently Ramamuthy and Narayanan published fatty acid composition of buffalo and cow ghee.

Fatty acid analysis of ghee indicates it contains 47.8% saturated fat.

·        Chemical constituents of GoGhrita :-

Component	Cow Ghee	Component	Cow Ghee
Triglyceride		(1) Saturated
Short chain (%)	37.6	Butyric	8.8
Long chain (%)	62.4	Caporic	3.5
Trisaturated (%)	39.0	Caprylic	2.2
High Melting	4.9	Capric	3.0
		Lauric	8.8
Partial Glyceride		Mystric	9.9
Diglycerides (%)	4.3	Palmitic	26.1
Monoglycerides(%)	0.7	Stearic	9.1
		High sat	1.0
Phospholipids		(2) Unsaturated
Total Cholesterol  (mg%)	330.0	Lower unsaturated	1.8
Lanosterol(mg%)	9.32	Hexadecenoic	2.8
Lutein(micro/g)	4.32	Oleic	24.7
Squelene(micro/g)	59.2	Unsat. poly	3.5
Carotene	7.2	Ethenoid
Vit A	9.2
Vit E	30.5

PHARMACOLOGY:

Its digestibility coefficient or rate of absorption is 96%, which is highest of

all oils and fat. It contains beta-carotene and Vit. E, which are antioxidants

themselves. It contains 8% lower saturated fatty acids, which make it easily

digestible. Cholesterol and saturated fatty acid are main components of cell membrane and they provide stiffness to cell wall and make the cell waterproof respectively. Cholesterol also provides the basic material for the production of sex hormone and anti stress hormones. Saturated fats boosts immune system, protects against pathogens, provides energy to the heart and is vital to the function of kidneys and the lungs.

·        Ayuvedic vivechana of ghrita:-

GaRtamaajyaMhiva:saipa_:pauraoDaSnavanaItakma\ |

                   paiva~aMvainhBaaogyaM ca taOjasaMcaaiBaQaarkma\ ||      

                                                                   Saa. ina. GaRtavaga_

·        SYNONYMS:

Grita, Aajya, Havi, Sarpi, Purodash, Navanitk,

Pavitra, Vanhibhogya, Taijasa, Abhidharaka.

·        VERNACULAR NAMES:-

Hindi                                       :        Ghee

Sanskrit                         :        Grita

Vanga                           :        Ghee, Grita

Marathi                         :        Toop

Gujarathi                      :        Ghee

Tailangi                         :        Nei

English                          :        Clarified butter

Latin                             :        Butyrum Deparatum

                                   

Ghee is also known as clarified butter has been utilized for thousands of years in Ayurveda as a therapeutic agent. In ancient India ghee used for cooking oil.

·        Ghee is prepared by heating butter or cream to just over 100⁰ C to remove water content by boiling and evaporation, then filtering out the precipitated milk solids. Ghee is known as Ghrita in Sanskrit. Ayurveda has traditionally considered ghee is to be healthiest source of edible fat, with many beneficial properties.

                

·        According to Ayurveda, ghee promotes longevity and protects the body from various diseases. It increases agni(digestive fire) and improves absorption and assimilation. It nourishes Ojas, the suitable essence of the body tissues (Dhatus). It improves memory and strengthen the Brain and Nervous system. It lubricates connective tissues thereby rendering the body more flexible with regards to the three dosha ghee pacified Vata and Pitta and acceptable for Kapha in moderation.

·        Ghee is heavily utilized in Ayurveda for unumerous medical application, including treatment of allergy, skin and Respiratory Diseases. Many Ayurvedic preparations are made by cooking herbs into ghee. Ghee carries the therapeutic properties of herbs to all the body tissues.

·        It is an excellent Anupana (vehicle) for transporting herbs to the deeper tissue layers of the body. Proper digestion, absorbtion and delivery to a target organ system are crucial in obtaining the maximum benefits from any therapeutic formulations the lipophilic action of ghee facilitates transportation to a target organ and final delivery inside thr cell since the cell membrane also contain lipid. A study that compared different forms of herbs and herb extracts found that the efficacy increased when they were used with ghee compared to usage I  powder or tablet form.

Go-ghrita is Amrutatulya, Vishanashaka, Chakshushya, Arogyakata, Vishya, Rasayana, Medhavardhaka and Superior than other Sneha Dravya  (Yogaratnakara).

Charaka mentioned that Ghrita, Taila, Vasa and Majja are best among all Sneha Dravya. Among these four again he has indicated the superiority of Ghrita becomes of its Samskaranuvarthana property. (Ch.su.13/13).

The quality of a substance which when added with another substances does not change its original property and also imparts the quality of added substances is called Samskara Anuvartana. (Ka.Sa.Su.22/5, Su.Su. 45/11).

 Through its Yogavahi guna, it carries the active principle of the drugs into level of the body tissue and increases the potency of Ghrita based formulation.

Further, Goghrita is bet among all type of Ghrita and it is having more Medhya property. Ghrita pacifies Pitta and Vata, increase Rasa, Shukra and Ojas. It also produce Nirvapana, Mruduta enhances Svara and Varna.      (Ch. Su. 13/14).

Ghee pacifies Vata by Sneha guna and Pitta by its Sheeta guna and Kapha having equal quality it acts on it by Samskara (Ch.Ni.1) In general Agnivardhaka, Vrishya, Medhavardhaka, Chakshukshya, Vayasthapak, Rasayana.

·        Importance of Ghrita:-

saipa_staOlaM vasaa majjaa sava_snaohaottamaa mataa: |

eYau caOvattamaM saipa_ saMskarasyaanauvata_naata\ ||

                                                ca. sau. 13/13

Ghee, Oil, Muscle fat and Bone Marrow are the best unctuous substances of all. Amongst them ghee is the unctuous substance par- excellence because of its power to assimilate effectively the properties of the substances.

                                      GaRtataOlavasaamajjaaM  paUva_: paUvaao_ varao#nyao (ntyao) Bya : |

                                      mauKyaM GaRtaoYau gavyaM saMskarata\ sava_saatmyaacca ||

                                                                                      k. sau. 22/5

amongst Ghrita, Oil, Fat and Marrow the former is the superior to later. In Ghrita the Cow’s Ghrita is most important being refined and congenial to everyone.

According to Sushrutacharya, amongst Animal sources Ghrita Of Cow and amongst Vegetable sources Oil of Tila is best.

·        Pharmacodynamics:-

Rasa                              :        Madhur

Virya                                       :        Sheeta

Vipaka                          :        Madhur

Guna                                       :        Mrudu, Snigdha, Guru

smaRitabauidQyaignaSauka`Oja:kfmaodaoivavaQa_nama\ |

                   vaataipattaivaYaaonmaadSaaoYaalaXmaIjvarapahma\ ||

                   sava_snaohaottamaM SaItaM maQaurM rsapaakyaao: |

                   sahs~avaIya_M ivaiQaiBaGaR_MtaM kma_sahs~akRta\ ||

                                                          ca. sau. 27/231-232

                                              

                                     

QaIkaintasmaRitadayakM  balakrM maoQaapa`dM pauiYTkRta\ |

vaataSlaYmahrM  EamaaopaSamanaM ipattaapahM =dyadma\ ||

vanhovaRiQdkrM ivapaakmaQaurM vaRYyaM vapau:sqaOya_dM

gavyaM hvyatamaM GaRtaM bahugauNaM BaaogyaM BavaoBdagyata: ||

                                                                                      ra. ina. hirtaWyaaid vaga_ 77

                             GatamaajyaM hivaM saipa_: paiva~aM navanaItajama\ |

                             AmaRtaM caaiBaQaarEca jaIvanaIyaM pa`kIita_tama\ ||

                                                                             Qa. ina. sauvaNaa_id YaYzao vaga_: 134

                             SastaM QaIsmaRitamaoQaaignabalaayau:Sauk`caXauYaama\ |

                             baalavaRQdpa`jaakaintasaaOkumaaya_isqaraiqa_naama\ ||

                             XataXaINaparIsapa_Sas~aaignaglaipataatmanaama\ |

                             ivapaako maQaurM SaItaM vaataipattaivaYaapahma\ ||

                             caXauYyaM balyamagya`~ca gavyaM saipa_gau_Naaottarma\ |

                                                                   Qa. ina. sauvaNaa_id YaYzao vaga_: 135-136

                             gavyaM saipa_: svaadu paako vaataipattakfapahma\ |

                             vaRYyaoYvagya`M parM balyaM GaRtaEa`oYzM i~adaoYaijata\ ||

                                                                   kOyadova inaGaNTu GaRtavaga_ 271      

                                                

Table showing different Guna of Ghrita according to different Acharyas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

S.N	GUNA	C.S.	S.S	V.S.	Y.R.	B.N.	R.N	D.N.	M.N.	Sh.N
1.	Dhikar	-	+	+	+	-	+	+	+	+
2.	Kantikar	-	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
3.	Smrutidayak	-	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	+
4.	Balakar	-	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	+
5.	Medhaprada	-	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	-
6.	Pushtikar	-	-	+	+	-	+	+	-	-
7.	Shramahara	-	-	-	+	-	+	-	-	-
8.	Hrudya	-	-	-	-	-	+	-	-	-
9.	Vanhevrudhikar	-	-	+	+	+	+	-	-	+
10.	Vrushya	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	+
11.	Chakshushya	-	-	-	+	+	+	+	+	+
12.	Dipana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+	-
13.	Swarya	+	-	+	+	+	-	-	-	+
14.	Jivaniya	-	-	-	-	-	-	+	-	-
15.	Bruhaniya	-	-	-	-	-	-	+	-	-
16.	Vranaprasadan	+	+	+	-	-	-	-	-	-
17.	Indriyaprasadan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
18.	Vayasthapan	-	+	+	-	+	-	+	-	-
19.	Abhisyandi	-	+	-	-	+	-	-	+	+
20.	…Ojakar	+	-	-	+	+	-	+	+	-
21.	Saukumaryakar	-	+	+	-	-	-	+	-	+
22.	Rakshaha	-	-	-	-	+	-	-	-	-
23.	Papma	-	+	+	-	+	-	-	+	+
24.	Alakshmi	-	+	+	-	+	-	-	+	+
25.	Vishapaha	-	+	+	-	+	-	-	+	+
26.	Amruta	-	+	-	+	-	-	+	+	+
27.	Aarogyakar	-	-	-	+	-	-	+	-	+
28.	Nirvapan	+	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Table showing Rogadhikar of Ghrita according to different Acharyas

S.N.	VYADHI	C.S.	S.S.	V.S.	B.N.	R.N.	D.N.	M.N.	Sh.N.
1.	Udavarta
2.