It is used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. The composition of shilajit has been investigated numerous times in both India and the former USSR, and depends on the location where it is found. It has been reported to contain at least 85 minerals in ionic form, as well as triterpenes, humic acid and fulvic acid. A similar substance from the Caucasus Mountains, and the Altai Mountains is called mumijo (Russian). It is also found in Australia, Bhutan, China, Egypt, Mongolia, Nepal, Norway and other countries, where it is
collected in small quantities from steep rock faces at altitudes between 1000 m and 5000 m.
Shilajit is an ancient traditional medicine that has been ascribed a number of pharmacological activities. It has been used for centuries as a rejuvenator and anti-aging compound and for treating a number of disease conditions (Acharya et al., 1988). Ancient texts refer to shilajit as the “elixir of evergreen life”.
Because of its legendary benefits, many cultures have used shilajit for healing and rejuvenation. This has resulted in the amazing substance having many names: shilajeet, silajit, salajeet, shilajita mumiyo, mumijo, momia, moomiyoshilajitu, mineral pitch, asphaltum punjabianum, black asphaltum, to name a few. The high-altitude Himalayan variety is famed for its quality and potency.
Shilajit is a substance mainly found in the Altai, Himalaya, and Caucasus mountains of Central Asia. The colour range varies from a yellowish brown to pitch-black, depending on composition. An ancient Ayurvedic text, called the Charaka Samhita, states that there is no curable disease in the universe, which is not effectively cured by shilajit when it is administered at the appropriate time, in combination with suitable drugs and by adopting the prescribed method. For use in Ayurvedic medicine the black variant is considered the most potent.
Shilajit has been described as 'mineral oil', 'stone oil' or 'rock sweat', as it seeps from cracks in mountains due mostly to the warmth of the sun. There are many local legends and stories about its origin, use and properties, often wildly exaggerated. It should not be confused with ozokerite, also a humic substance, similar in appearance, but apparently without medicinal qualities. Some marketers of dietary supplements pretend to sell mumijo, while in fact they are offering cheap raw ozokerite, a substance used, for example, in cosmetics. Genuine mumijo/shilajit should melt in the hand and has a distinct smell of bitumen, whereas ozokerite melts at 164-169 °F/73.3-76.1 °C.
Once cleaned of impurities and extracted, shilajit is a homogeneous brown-black paste-like substance, with a glossy surface, a peculiar smell and bitter taste. Dry shilajit density ranges from 1.1 to 1.8 g/cm3. It has a plastic-like behavior, at a temperature lower than 20°C/68°F it will solidify and will soften when warmed. It easily dissolves in water without leaving any residue, and it will soften when worked between the fingers. Purified shilajit has an unlimited shelf life.
It is still unclear whether shilajit has a geological or biological origin as it has numerous traces of vitamins and amino acids. A mumijo-like substance from Antarctica was found to contain glycerol derivatives and was also believed to have medicinal properties.
Shilajit has a wide spectrum of pharmacological activity. But, despite decades of impressive research results, official medicine is familiar with it only as food additive. Mumio is a unique plant extract with dozens of minerals; six amino-acids; vitamins A, B , C and P (citrins), natural steroids, terpiniods, phospholipids and polyphenol complexes. Shilajit contains trace and macro-elements (cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, manganese, chromium, iron, sodium, potassium,magnesium, and others).
The biological effects of shilajit have been ascribed to two distinct classes of compounds. The low molecular weight bioactive organic compounds, such as oxygenated dibenzo-
a-pyrones, act as the active substances, and medium molecular weight fulvic and humic acids act as carrier molecules for in vivo transportation of these bioactive molecules. Fulvic acid and humic acid have a microporous structure. Fulvic acid and humic acid are thus capable of forming complexes with nonpolar solutes and drug molecules with low bioavailability (Agarwal, Khanna, Karmarkar, Anwer, & Khar, in press). These drug molecules can be entrapped in the void so as to increase their solubility and dissolution rate, thereby enhancing their bioavailability.
Furosemide is a potent loop diuretic that is used to adjust the volume and/or composition of body fluid in a variety of situations, including hypertension, heart failure, renal failure,
nephritic syndrome, and cirrhosis. Furosemide is practically insoluble in water. The oral bioavailability of Furosemide is very poor due to insufficient aqueous solubility at gastrointestinal pH, making solubility the rate-determining step in the gastric absorption of Furosemide. Improvement of its dissolution properties is essential because the in vitro dissolution behavior of Furosemide is closely related to its bioavailability.
