Shilajit
Shilajit or Shilajatu, is an organic-mineral product of predominantly biological origin, formed at high altitudes on stony mountains, in sheltered crevices and caves.
It is a blackish-brown powder or an exudate emerging between high mountain rocks, often found in the Altai Mountains, the Caucasus Mountains, the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Pamir Mountains, and countrywise in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Georgia, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Central Asia and Africa. People living in these areas use shilajit in folk and non-traditional medicine. Shilajit is sold both in dry extract form and in dietary supplements, but there is limited evidence that shilajit has any beneficial effects on human health. Some sources have been found in studies to contain hazardous heavy metals, including lead.
History
Since ancient times, shilajit has been a folk medicine in Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, Nepal, Central Asia, Central Africa and Tibet. Shilajit has been used as a folk medicine and in alternative medicine for more than four thousand years. The healing effects of shilajit for different diseases are mentioned in the works of Aristotle, Razi, Biruni, Ibn Sina and others.D'Herbelot, in a 17th century publication, stated that the Persians used the substance called mumiay, or mummy, as a potent cure-all to address broken bones and disease.
Distribution
Deposits of shilajit are found in many mountainous regions of the world. Research by the Central State Geographical Exploration Center "Tsentrquartz Gems" has shown that deposits of shilajit, despite the wide geography of their location, are very rare, and the reserves of raw materials in them are limited. It is found in calcareous, metamorphic rock, and sedimentary rocks in Central Asia, Tuva, at the Lake Baikal, in the Caucasus and other regions. It is more often found in the Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, mountains of the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mongolia, Myanmar, Tanzania, Kenya.The substance is known by different names, including μούμια, mumiyo or mumie, brag-shun or barakhshin, rock sap or rock juice, asphalt, mineral pitch, Jew's pitch, slag or mineral wax, silajita or silajatu, hajarul-Musa or araq-al-jibal, myemu, moomiaii or mumnaei, Mumie, kao-tun and "blessing of nature".
Formation
It has also been believed that it is formed as a result of the decomposition of oil rocks by microorganisms. Analysis from the 1970s shows the chemical composition of organic part of the extract proved the oil origin hypothesis. Some researchers hypothesize that shilajit is produced by the decomposition or humification of latex and resin-bearing plant material from species such as Euphorbia royleana and Trifolium repens over a period of centuries. Another hypothesis is that it is formed from Bryophytes in the immediate area.Composition
Shilajit is a mineral tar or resin. It is a highly viscous and very dark brown or black in color. It contains more than 20 elements, including calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, chromium, and lead. It also contains solid paraffin hydrocarbons, proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids, and alcohols. The mineral content is 15–20%, along with trace elements, including selenium and heavy metals like mercury and cadmium.Shilajit is composed of 60–80% humic substances, such as humic and fulvic acids.
Studied by analytical methods, shilajit samples from the Himalayas, Altai, Tian Shan, Dzungarian, demonstrated that it consists of two principal components: the high-molecular part is fulvic nature of sample as typical peat fulvic acids, and the low-molecular part represents a range of vegetative and animal metabolites such as methyldiaminocyclohexane, shikimic acid, hippuric acid, quinic acid, hydroxyhippuric acid, and methyldiaminocyclohexane dimer.
Purification process
Shilajit, in its raw form, is a viscous, tar-like substance that requires processing to remove impurities and ensure safety for consumption. The traditional purification process involves four key steps: extraction, filtration, purification, and dehydration.- Extraction: Shilajit is harvested from high-altitude rock crevices and caves in regions like the Himalayas and Altai Mountains. Collectors scrape the exudate from rocks, typically during warmer months when it is softer.
- Filtration: Raw shilajit is dissolved in water to separate insoluble impurities, such as rock fragments and plant debris. The solution is filtered through fine cloth or sieves to yield a cleaner liquid.
- Purification: The filtered liquid is further processed to remove contaminants, including potential heavy metals. Traditional methods may involve boiling or mixing with herbal extracts, while modern approaches use laboratory techniques to ensure safety. Authenticity checks, such as verifying solubility and consistency, are crucial to ensure the shilajit is genuine and free from adulterants.
- Dehydration: The purified solution is spread thinly and dried under sunlight or controlled heat to remove moisture, resulting in a solid, blackish-brown resin or powder suitable for use in traditional medicine or supplements.
Research
There is a lack of evidence that shilajit is bioactive; its claimed antioxidant and immuno-modulatory effects lack scientific validation.A 2024 systematic review found that purified Shilajit extract may have efficacy in increasing testosterone levels in men with late-onset hypogonadism.
Varieties
The composition varies by location and appearance:- Coprolitic are semi-fossilized phyto- and zooorganic remains of animal feces mixed with fragments and grus of rocks and soil formations. The content of extractive substances in coprolite shilajit ranges from 10 to 30% or more.
- Shilajit-bearing breccias are large-clastic rocks cemented by shilajit-bearing clay mass. The content of extractive substances is 0.5–5.0%.
- Evaporite shilajit occurs in formations of streaks, icicles and shiny black or gray dull, thin films that stain the roofs and walls of caves, niches, grottoes and other large cavities. Its extraction is difficult.
Mumioids are a group of natural formations resembling shilajit in appearance. The group includes ozokerite, saltpeter, fossilized vegetable resins and gums, mountain wax, white, stone and mountain oils, Antarctic shilajit, lofor, or aqua bitum.