The short answer
Hridayarnava Rasa is a mercury medicine. Its solid ingredients are purified mercury (parada) and sulphur in equal parts, with twice as much copper ash (tamra bhasma), ground with triphala decoction and kakamachi juice. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India lists it for one use, kaphaja hridroga, a classical type of heart disease. Mercury is on the Drugs Rules list of poisonous substances, so packs must say 'to be taken under medical supervision'.
We found no study of it in people. A lab analysis of one batch found copper and mercury sulphides, and a 14-day mouse study found no damage to chromosomes or sperm. Neither tells us what long-term use does in people. If you have heart disease and take heart medicines, tell your prescribing doctor before you start it.
What is in it
The official recipe is in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I (2003), entry 20:55 Hrdayarnava Rasa, printed page 279.[1]
| Ingredient | Botanical name | Part used | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shuddha suta (parada, mercury) | - | Purified | 1 part |
| Gandha (gandhaka, sulphur) | - | Purified | 1 part |
| Mrita tamra (copper) bhasma | - | Bhasma (calcined ash) | 2 parts |
| Haritaki | Terminalia chebula | Pericarp | As needed, for bhavana and grinding |
| Bibhitaka | Terminalia bellirica | Pericarp | As needed, for bhavana and grinding |
| Amalaki (amla) | Emblica officinalis | Pericarp | As needed, for bhavana and grinding |
| Kakamachi juice | Solanum nigrum | Whole plant | As needed, for bhavana and grinding |
Parts by weight, from the printed 2003 edition. The only measured ingredients are minerals: of the four parts, one is mercury, one sulphur and two copper ash. The herbs are used as liquids to grind them. Makers' recipes can differ, so check the label.[1]
Classical source
The formulary takes the recipe from the Rasendrasarasangraha, Hridroga Cikitsa (treatment of heart disease), verses 1 to 1½.[1]
What it is used for
- The formulary lists it for kaphaja hridroga, heart disease attributed to kapha. This is a classical category; it does not match any one modern diagnosis such as angina or heart failure.[1]
What the evidence says
In vitroLaboratory batch study, 2024. Researchers made Hridayarnava Rasa and analysed it. X-ray diffraction found sulphur and sulphides of copper and mercury, the particles were clumps of tiny crystals 100 to 1,000 nanometres across, and copper, sulphur and mercury were the main elements. This describes the product; it does not test whether it is harmful or helpful in anyone.[4]
AnimalMouse study, 2014. Twenty-five mice in five groups of five were given one of two preparations at 32.5 mg/kg with honey, a known toxic drug (cyclophosphamide) or a blank, for 14 days. The preparations caused no chromosome damage or sperm abnormalities in the tests used. Two weeks in a few mice cannot show long-term safety for the kidneys, nerves or fertility in people.[5]
Safety notes
- Contains purified mercury (parada) and copper ash (tamra bhasma) with sulphur by design. The formulary's mineral appendix identifies parada as mercury and tamra as copper.[2]
- Parada is on Schedule E(1) of the Drugs Rules, the list of poisonous substances in Ayurvedic medicine. Packs must carry the words 'Caution: to be taken under medical supervision' in English and Hindi.[3]
- The batch analysis confirmed copper and mercury sulphides in the finished product.[4]
- Our search for side-effect reports, interactions and regulator alerts on this product is not complete. Finding none so far is not a sign that it is harmless.
Who makes it
Sold in India by makers including Unjha, Virgo UAP. We list names so you can match your bottle to this page. We do not recommend or sell any brand.
Withheld until review
Questions people ask
Is Hridayarnava Rasa herbal?
No. All of its measured ingredients are minerals: mercury, sulphur and copper ash. Triphala and kakamachi are used only as liquids for grinding.[1]
Related
Arogyavardhini Vati
A classical tablet that contains mercury by design, with copper, iron and mica ashes. In rats, mercury built up in the kidneys.
FormulationArjunarishta
A fermented arjuna bark liquid used for the heart. It contains alcohol from fermentation, and the only study of it we found was in rats.
FormulationSwarna Bhasma
Processed gold ash. The official methods use mercury and sulphur, or white arsenic. One case report links it to kidney damage.
Sources
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Hrdayarnava Rasa, 20:55, printed page 279.
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Appendix, Names of mineral drugs appearing in formulations with equivalent English names, printed pages 299-303.
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organization. The Drugs Rules, 1945 (2022 compilation). Rule 161(2) and Schedule E(1), list of poisonous substances under the Ayurvedic system, which includes Parada.
- Jagtap CY, Mishra AK, Nariya M, Shukla VJ, Prajapati PK. Product development and characterization of the Ayurvedic herbo-mineral-metallic compound Hridayarnava Rasa. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2024;15(3):100886. PMID 38759538.
- Jagtap CY, Chaudhari SY, Thakkar JH, Galib R, Prajapati PK. Assessment of genotoxic potential of hridayarnava rasa (a herbo-mineralo-metallic ayurvedic formulation) using chromosomal aberration and sperm abnormality assays. Toxicol Int. 2014;21(3):242-247. PMID 25948961.
Awaiting review by The Good Vaidya Medical Board. Prepared from the sources below and checked against each one.
Published 4 November 2026 · Last updated 4 November 2026
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