Salajit

Introduction

Salajit from the Northern Areas of Pakistan has been extracted, processed and distributed as a ‘wonder cure’ for time immemorial. It is also claimed that Salajit is a powerful aphrodisiac. It is collected by notorious Salajit Hunters who describes its origin as being high in the mountains necessitating long trekking hours, precarious rock climbing and dangerous rope work to reach it. Salajit is described as being exuded or ejected from rock and fissures during hot weather at altitudes of 2500-4000 mamsl and is said to occur as four varieties; gold, silver, copper and iron. Numerous chemical analysis indicate wide ranging compositions including plant waxes, oils and acids, organic matter, minerals (including silica, nitrogen, iron, alumina, potash, and chloride) and vegetable fibres. The substance is resinous in nature, is soluble in water and burns. It has been described as a petroleum hydrocarbon and is also observed to be associated with the habitat of rare mammals ( Woolly Flying Squirrel in NWFP)

The medicinal benefits of Salajit are widely claimed and may be studied at various websites

My Research & Results

I spent several months researching and tracking salajit to get to the source in the mountains in Pakistan 2000-2004. The main problem was that street vendors invariably did not know the source of their product as it had been traded down the Karakoram Highway. After much deliberation I mapped and found source localities in the Nanga Parbat, Passu and Shimshall areas. I have collected approximately 20 kgs of salajit and my examination of the samples and their habitat at 12 locations leads me to conclude that salajit is a biological product, probably faeces, from various nocturnal and timid mammals including the Giant Woolly Flying Squirrel and Afghan Pikkas.

References.

Ahmed N, , 2003 , Rare squirrel discovered in Northern Areas The News3^rd December 2003

Ansari Q.D., and Badrud-Din, 1956, Phsico-chemical study of salajit, a mineral pitch of Pakistan, The Journal of the University of Peshawar, 5, 26-30

Al-Ghani, H.N. 1917, Salajit translated from old books material, in Khazana Alwadia, Lucknow India, vol II pp 783-786 (original script Hindi)

Chopra, R.N., 1933 Indigenous drugs , UN Dhu and Sons, Calcutta pp 433-436

Dash, B and Ramaswarmy, S, 2001, Indian Aprodisiacs : Mineral pitch- Silajitu, pp82-83

Faruqi, S.H., 1997, Nature and Origin of Salajit, Hamdard medicus, Vol XL, April-June , pp 21-30

Ghosal, S., 2006, Shilajit in Perspective. 200 p Alpha Science International Ltd. ISBN 1-84265-313-X

Ghosal S., et al 1991, The core structure of Sialjit humus, Soil Biol Biochemistry 23, pp 673-680

Ghosal S., et al, 1976 Organic Composition of Silajit, J of Pharm Sci, 65,77

Ghosal, S., 1988, The facets and facts of Shilajit, in Dadiya and Vohora (eds) Research and Development of Indigenous Drugs, IHMMR, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India pp 72-80

Hartman, M, 2001, The trip to Humla, www.drhartman.com/humla.htm

Hartman, M., 2001 Summary of clinical research on Shilajit, www.hi-aloha.com/shilagen/summary.htm

Hartman, M., 1989, Mast Cell protecting effects of Shilajit and its constituents, Phytotherapy Research, vol3, no 6, pp 249-252

Hooper, D., 1930, Silajit and ancient eastern medicine Journal Asiatic Society of Bengal, 72, 98-103

Khan, Dr M. A., 1995, Salajit: a health treat, The Dawn newspaper, Friday June 16^th page 7

Khan (Daur) 1981, Sultan Mhammaed, Silajit its composition nd biological actions MSC (Chemistry) thesis, Area Study Centre, Phawar University

Lipshutz-Robinson, S., 1996, Our Earth our cure: Fulvic acids and Shilajit; http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/fulvic.htm

Nadkarni, K.M., 1976, Ashpaltum, in Indian Materia Medica, reprint 3^rd revised edition, vol II, published by Popular Prakashan Pvt Ltd, pp23-32

Phillips, P., 1997, Unearthing the evidence: Shilajit and health http://www.chemsoc.org/chembytes/ezine/1997/phillips.htm

SDR Shilajit, date unknown, Asphaltum alias Shilajit, http://www.sdrshilajit.com/product1.htm

Shafiq, M.I., 2003, Physical, biochemical and trace mineral analysis of some Salajit samples available in Pakistan, MSC thesis, University of Punjab, Lahore.

Tarr, A., 2001, Salajit Northern Pakistan, : The Salajit Collectors, http://google.groups.com/groups?hl=en&selm=........

Tiwari, L and Agrawal, D.P., date not known, Shilajit, the traditional panacea:its properties, http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/t_es/t_es_agraw_shilajit.htm

www.iras.ucalgary.ca, 2002, Mummy or Mumia

Zahler, P, and Karim A., 1998, Origin of the floristic components of Salajit, Hamdard Medicus, Vol XLI, no 2, pp 6-8

Zahler, P and Woods C. A., 2002, The status of the Woolly Flying Squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus) in Northern Pakistan, in Mufti ,S.A. et al (eds) Biodiversity of Pakistan, pp495-514

Dr George Carman

Email geodirect@optusnet.com.au