Mrigashringa Bhasma: Traditional Uses, Evidence & Safety

TL;DR

Mrigashringa Bhasma is calcined deer horn: a white calcium-rich ash that Rasa Shastra texts prescribe for chest pain, productive cough, and respiratory congestion. The classical preparation and indications are well documented. Modern research is essentially absent: one case report used it in combination with another drug, which proves nothing about it alone. Short article, thin evidence.

What it is

Mriga means deer; shringa means horn. Mrigashringa Bhasma (also called Shringa Bhasma) is the ash of deer horn. The retained source is a 2017 case report from CCRAS's Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Drug Development, Gwalior. It does not describe the preparation process. It characterizes the finished product as "an odourless dull white powder with chalk-like taste." Qualitative analysis showed carbonates, sulphates, chlorides, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, with tannins and proteins also identified. Essentially a calcined calcium matrix (IJAR case report, 2017).

Traditional use

The tradition uses it as an expectorant and mucolytic for respiratory disorders. The classical indications include hiccup (hikka), cough (kasa), difficult breathing including asthma (swasa), cardiac colic (hrtsula), and abdominal distension with intestinal rumbling (Urastoya and Parshvashoola) (IJAR case report, 2017). The same paper's literature summary describes its use in respiratory disorders with productive cough, wheezing, chest congestion, tightness, chest pain, and fever. It attributes a bacteriostatic claim against Mycobacterium tuberculosis to other references: attributed claims, not evidence. Traditional claims; the modern column below is nearly blank.

What modern research says

A single case report (combined intervention)

One published case report describes a 71-year-old woman with allergic rhinitis and elevated absolute eosinophil count. She was treated with Malla Sindoor (125 mg) plus Shring Bhasma (250 mg) thrice daily with honey for 17 days. Symptomatic improvement and reduced eosinophil count followed (case report, IJAR) (full text).

One patient, two drugs, no control. Nothing about Mrigashringa Bhasma alone can be concluded from this.

What the evidence does not support (yet)

Everything else. No animal studies and no clinical trials of Mrigashringa Bhasma alone were identified: not for respiratory conditions, chest pain, or any other indication.

Safety & contraindications

No human safety data for Mrigashringa Bhasma were identified. There are no data on pregnancy, breastfeeding, or drug interactions. As with all bhasmas, product quality is the practical risk: improperly incinerated preparations may contain untransformed material, and NCCIH warns that some Ayurvedic preparations contain toxic metals (NCCIH). Use only GMP-certified products under a qualified practitioner. Never in pregnancy or childhood without specific professional guidance.

FAQs

What is Mrigashringa Bhasma made from?

Deer horn, classically burnt and calcined into a white ash rich in calcium carbonate (IJAR case report, 2017).

What is it used for in Ayurveda?

Classically for chest pain and for respiratory disorders with productive cough, wheezing, and congestion. Traditional uses, not clinically proven effects.

Does research support Mrigashringa Bhasma for breathing problems?

No. The only published clinical report combined it with another drug in a single patient. No trials of the bhasma alone exist.

Is Mrigashringa Bhasma safe?

Human safety data do not exist. Quality varies by manufacturer, so source and supervision matter more than usual.

Our editorial rule requires a pharmacopoeial or clinical-trial dose. The case report used 250 mg thrice daily with honey. That was combined with Malla Sindoor, in one patient, not as a validated regimen. We state no general dose.

Annotated Sources

Composition (carbonates, sulphates, chlorides, calcium, magnesium, potassium) and the traditional indications (hikka, kasa, swasa, hrtsula, chest congestion, chest pain) are reported in the IJAR case report's discussion (PDF). The single case report is the IJAR paper on Malla Sindoor plus Shring Bhasma in allergic rhinitis with elevated eosinophil count (full text). The general heavy-metal caution is NCCIH's (Ayurvedic Medicine: In Depth).

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Mrigashringa Bhasma has no human efficacy or safety data. Do not self-administer it. Talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before use, especially if pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking prescription medicines.