Antimicrobial Activity of Indian Vessels (Copper, Silver and Bronze): A New Horizon

Abstract

Water is the essence of life. Water known as Jala in Sanskrit has several synonyms in Sanskrit. One of the synonyms of water in Sanskrit is Jeevanam which means life. Water is not only an essential element but is also one of the five basic essential elements for the creation of this universe (including the humans). It is the Jala Mahabhoota – the water element. Charaka Samhita mentions that all types of fluids in the body are made up of Jala Mahabhoota (water element). Hence, the water we use is of life-giving principle and a detailed knowledge of water, its purity and purification is very important. Hence, in this study an attempt was made to check the efficacy of Indian vessels in purifying water. The study revealed that copper, bronze, silver and steel were capable of purifying water in respective order.