Phytochemical And Pharmacognostic Insights Into Shilajatu (Asphaltum Punjabianum): Types, Purification, And Standardization Approaches

Abstract

Shilajatu, also known as Asphaltum Punjabianum, is a well-known Rasayana (rejuvenative) ingredient in Ayurveda, with numerous therapeutic applications for enhancing energy, longevity, and metabolic health. It is a herbo-mineral exudate formed by the gradual breakdown of plant material by geological and microbiological processes, and it is mostly found in the Himalayan, Tibetan, and Altai mountains. During the summer, the substance oozes out of rocks as a resinous mass that ranges in shade from dark brown to black. Shilajatu has been identified as a potent bioenhancer, adaptogen, and rejuvenator. Fulvic acid's medicinal potential stems from its complex phytochemical and mineral makeup, which includes humic chemicals, dibenzo-α-pyrones, triterpenes, phenolic lipids, amino acids, and trace minerals like iron, zinc, and copper.