Review of Malahara Kalpana of Rasa Tarangani

The word Malahara or Malhama is derived from unani system of medicine. Yogaratnakara mentioned this first by the name of Malahara Kalpana. It derives its name as it removes Mala (residue etc.) from Vrana (wounds), Vidradhi (abscess) etc. This is similar to ointments in modern pharmaceutics. Malahara Kalpana is the ointment preparation which has Siktha Taila (bees wax and oil mixture) or Ghrita, as the basic constituent. The other ingredients may include herbal, metal, or mineral contents depending upon the usage. Malahara has a property like Snehana (oelation), cleansing, Ropana (healing), Lekhana (scaraping), and Varnya (beautifying), depending on the drugs used in the preparation. Rasa Tarangani a Rasa Shastra treatise of 20th century by Acharya Sadananda Sharma has enumerated various types of Malahara Kalpana taking mainly Siktha Taila as a base. Though this Kalpana holds firm roots in treating diseases the mention and explanation of this particular topic is scattered in this treatise. Hence the present article is an attempt to elucidate and unfold the Malahara Kalpana of Rasatarangani