Has there been any research done on Shilajit?
Yes, Tons of research has been conducted in Eastern universities. I have listed a few of the reference materials I have used for this website.
Over sixty years of clinical research have shown that shilajit has positive effects on humans. It increases longevity, improves memory and cognitive ability, reduces allergies and respiratory problems, reduces stress, and relieves digestive troubles. It is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and eliminates free radicals. The research proves that shilajit increases immunity, strength, and endurance, and lives up to its ancient reputation as the "destroyer of weakness."
Technically, shilajit is an exudate that is pressed out from layers of rock in the most sacred and highest mountains in Nepal and other areas. It is composed of humus and organic plant material that has been compressed by layers of rock. Humus is formed when soil microorganisms decompose animal and plant material into elements usable by plants. Plants are the source of all our food and humus is the source of plant food. Unlike other soil humus, shilajit humus consists of 60-80% organic mass.
About 200 million years ago, India was a large island off the Australian coast separated from the Eurasian continent by the Tethys Sea. The Indian continent drifted north at a rate of about 9 meters a century. This movement lead to the eventual disappearance of the Tethys sea. Fifty million years ago, the Indian continent collided with the Asian continent. This caused the sea bed of the Tethys sea to be pushed up and keep moving up to eventually form the Himalayan mountains. The Himalayan mountains continue to rise more than 1 Centimeter a year. During this transition the mineral rich and fertile soil of the sea bed gave rise to a lush and dense tropical jungle. As the ground continued to be pushed up to become mountains a lot of the plants became trapped by layers of rock and soil and remained preserved for thousands of years. These plants had never been exposed to any chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides. They are gradually transformed into humus, a rich organic mass that is food for new plant life.
What are humic substances? They are the sum total of all once living organisms, mostly plants, disassembled by nature’s brilliant decomposition and recycling processes, then highly refined by millions of species of beneficial soil-based microorganisms. Ultimately, microscopic plants such as yeast, algae, mold, fungi, etc., finish up the process. These tiny beneficial plants refine, purify, combine, and re-refine, until tons of once-living matter are converted to pounds and ounces. Yet miraculously, when it is all said and done, the end product is not inert basic "dead" mineral elements, but is transformed into the world’s most complex and ultra-compact molecules. Even the nucleic acids, RNA and DNA, of the earlier life-forms remains intact. The molecules are ultra-condensed and highly functional, rolled up into tight little balls that are supercharged biochemical and phytochemical powerplants, similar to storage batteries or fuel cells. Where did this supercharged power come from? It is sunshine light energy captured during plant photosynthesis, and through decomposition it is converted and stored within the interior of the world’s most refined and complex molecules.
Humic substances are considered nature's own best medicine for plants, animals, humans, and the Earth itself. This lowly soil substance has the ability to clean up the Earth’s environment, neutralize radiation and deadly toxins, heal the agricultural lands, fuel the spark of life in living organisms, disarm and kill infectious pathogens, destroy the deadliest viruses, prevent most, if not all diseases, and even cure and restore diseased and damaged tissues and organs in plants, animals, and man.
Buckminster Fuller, one of America’s best known thinkers of the twentieth century, helps us to understand plant energy accumulation from photosynthesis. Visualize if you will, a log burning in the fireplace. When asked "what is fire" Buckminster explained, in a rather lengthy discourse, that fire is the Sun’s radiation unwinding, each growth-ring of the tree’s log representing a year. He explained that many years of the Sun’s flame winding through the sky, absorbed by the tree through photosynthesis, is now unwinding in the burning log. With a log of firewood, lump of coal, oil, natural gas, or gasoline, all of which are remnants of once living plants, it is easy to see and understand solar energy storage and release. With the humic substances, it is not so clear to see because they don’t readily burn.
Humic substances are found in rich humus soil in trace amounts. They are also found in massive ancient plant deposits, never truly fossilized, still remaining completely organic. What makes their stored solar energy so different? The key is found in nature’s decomposition and refining process. The energy is converted into a different form. Coal, oil, tar, natural gas, and uranium deposits, all are "dead" inorganic remnants of ancient plants. Uranium mines, just like coal mines and tar pits, also have fossilized trees, leaves, and dinosaur bones, all remnants of ancient life turned to rock.
Uranium ore is rock, and doesn’t burn, or does it? Ponder how a few pounds of seemingly inert refined uranium ore has the power to fuel the reactor in a nuclear power plant, or become an atomic bomb. Where is all of that energy stored? The power is deep within complex molecules, and is released through nuclear fission, the splitting of the atom’s nucleus. Could there be a similarity to the seemingly inert humic substances? Humic substances are not radioactive, but quickly and effectively neutralize radiation. This is well established and extensively documented. Where does that nuclear energy go? Could it be that controlled nuclear fusion is taking place, the joining of atoms’ nuclei?
It is certain that a different form of equally intense latent solar light energy is found deep within the humic substance molecules. The many rare earth superconductor elements that humic substances contain may provide some clues. Humic substances have the amazing power to molecularly bond with, and transform, other molecules and substances, liquefying them, making them smaller, more condensed, and energizing them. A tremendous, well controlled fusion or fusing power certainly exists.
With Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis, scientists can see and untangle complex organic molecules, categorizing similar portions of the highly complex molecules into functional groups, which relate to more commonly known substances. This allows us to discover the many valuable components hidden in the complex humic molecular structures. The varieties of smaller, more recognizable, molecules found within the highly complex humic molecules, read like the "who’s who" of the many pharmaceutical and nutritional breakthroughs of the last century. Many of the substances are the current focus of the most promising ongoing medical and health research studies.
In a nutshell, humic substances consist of an immense arsenal and array of powerful phytochemicals, biochemicals, supercharged antioxidants, free-radical scavengers, super oxide dismutases, nutrients, enzymes, hormones, amino acids, antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, etc. Many of the substances that make up humic matter have yet to be discovered and catalogued among the known and documented organic chemicals.
Due to microbial action and the tremendous pressure from the weight of the Himalayan mountains, the ancient humus was transformed into a dense, viscous, mineral rich mass. This is shilajit. The trapped layers of shilajit become exposed due to the freezing winters, hot summer sun and erosion from monsoon rains. Shilajit will “flow” out from between the cracks in the layers of rock during the summer when the temperature of the mountains gets warm enough and the shilajit becomes less viscous. The native Nepali people them climb the mountains, repel down cliffs to collect the magical substance.
The therapeutic actions of the raw material vary by the region it is harvested from. There are other substances that contain humic and fulvic acids, but true shilajit has a very important therapeutic, bioactive ingredient that is not present in other "shilajit-like" substances. The authenticity and therapeutic quality of shilajit is identified by the inclusion of oxygenated di-benzo alpha pyrones. While there are several areas from which the raw material is collected, the highest levels of therapeutic ingredients come from specific areas in the Himalayan mountains in Nepal at 10,000-12,000 feet above sea level. Historic records report that these “sacred” mountains produce the best shilajit. The processing of the raw Shilajit is very important as it contains free radicals and may also contain mycotoxins and fungal toxins. The processing removes these free radicals, polymeric quinone radicals, toxins, mycotoxins, and other inactive ingredients.
The producers of Shalagen use a patented oxygen/nitrogen displacement extraction process that ensures the proper pH and increases the active ingredients by approximately 800%. They are also use a standardized extract, so the same high levels of active ingredients are in each bottle. Instead of using a sawdust filler as do other producers, Shalagen includes proven healing compounds such as ashwagandha, ginkgo biloba, bacopin and trace minerals to aid in the absorption and synergy of the primary shilajit ingredient.
It should be noted that statements and studies on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
1. Antioxidant defense by native and processed Shilajit-A comparative study.
Indian journal of Chemistry
Vol. 35B, Feb. 1996, pg. 127-132
2. Effects of Shilajit on biogenic free radicals
Phytotherapy Research, Vol. 9, pp 56-59 (1995)
Salil K. Bhattacharya and Ananda P. Sen
Dept. of Pharmacology, Instituite of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi-221005, India
3. Antiulcerogenic and antiinflamatory studies with Shilajit
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 29 (1990) 95-103
Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.
4. Effect of Shilajit on rat brain monoamines
S. K. Bhatineharyn, Dept. of Pharmacology, Instituite of medical sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India.
S. Ghosal, Department of pharmaceutics, instituite of technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 221005, India
5. Chemistry of Shilajit, an immunomodmodulatory Ayurvedic rasayan
Pure & Appl. Chem., Vol. 62, No. 7, pp. 1285-1288, 1990
Printed in Great Brittan. Copyright 1990 IUPAC
6. Shilajit induced morphometric and functional changes in mouse peritoneal macrophages.
Shibnath Ghosal
Dept. of Pharmaceutics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India
Sluboni Baumik and Sukumar Chattopadhyay
Dept. of biotechnology and life sciences, Jadavpur University, Calcutta-700032, India
7. Effects of Shilajit and its active constituents on learning and memory in rats
S. Ghosal and J. Lal Pharmaceutical chemistry research laboratory, department of pharmaceutics, institute of technology, Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi-221005, India
Shilajit research by health condition.
Allergies
Mast Cell Protecting Effects of Shilajit and Its Constituents
Phytotherapy Research Vol. 3, No. 6, 1989 pp249-252
Anti-inflammatory
Antiulcerogenic and Anti-inflammatory Studies With Shilajit
Journal of Ethno pharmacology, 29 (1990) 95-103
Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.
Antioxidant
Effects of Shilajit on Biogenic Free Radicals
Phytotherapy Research, Vol. 9, pp 56-59 (1995)
Salil K. Bhattacharya and Ananda P. Sen
Dept. of Pharmacology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi-221005, India
Interaction of Shilajit With Biogenic Free Radicals
Shibnath Ghosal, Soumyn Lata, Yatendrn Kumar
Department of Pharmaceutics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005,
India
Antioxidant Defense By Native and Processed Shilajit-A Comparative Study
Indian journal of Chemistry
Vol. 35B, Feb. 1996, pg. 127-132
Diabetes
Shilajit Attenuates Streptozotocin Induced Diabetes Mellitus and Decrease In Pancreatic Islet Superoxide Dismutase Activity In Rats.
Salil K. Bhattacharya, Neuropharmacology laboratory, Dept. of Pharmacology,
Institute of medical sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India
General
Chemical Studies On A Nepalese Panacea - Shilajit
Int. J. Crude Drug Res. 25 (1987), No. 3, pp. 179-182
Chemistry in Brittan March 1997 pp32-34
Chopra's Indigenous Drugs of India
Second Edition pg. 457-461
Academic Publishers, Calcutta
Pharmacological Actions of Shilajit
S.B. Acharya, M.H. Frotan, R.K.Goel, S.K. Tripathi, P.K. Das,
Department of Pharmacology, institute of medical sciences, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi-221005, India
Shilajit, A Comparative Study of The Ancient and Modern Scientific Findings
Indian J. Indg. Med. April 1995-September 1995 Vol. 17(1):
The Chemistry of Shilajit Odour
Indian Journal of Chemistry, Vol. 34B, January 1995, pp. 40-44
Shilajit: Its Origin and Significance
Indian J. Indg. Med. (1992), 9 (1&2)
Immunity
Shilajit Induced Morphometric and Functional Changes In Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages
Shibnath Ghosal
Dept. of Pharmaceutics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India
Sluboni Baumik (Sraboni Bhaumik) and Sukumar Chattopadhyay
Dept. of biotechnology and life sciences, Jadavpur University,
Calcutta-700032, India
Chemistry of Shilajit, An Immunomodmodulatory Ayurvedic Rasayan
Pure & Appl. Chem., Vol. 62, No. 7, pp. 1285-1288, 1990
Printed in Great Brittan.
Copyright 1990 IUPAC
Memory
Effects of Shilajit and Its Active Constituents On Learning and Memory In Rats
S. Ghosal and J. Lal Pharmaceutical chemistry research laberatory,
department of pharmaceutics, institute of technology, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi-221005, India
Effect of Shilajit On Rat Brain Monoamines
S. K. Bhatineharyn
Dept. of Pharmacology, Institute of medical sciences, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi-221005, India
S. Ghosal, Department of pharmaceutics, institute of technology, Banaras
Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India
Ulcer
Antiulcerogenic and Anti-inflammatory Studies With Shilajit
Journal of Ethno pharmacology, 29 (1990) 95-103
Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.
Anti-Ulcerogenic Activity of Fulvic Acids and 4'-Methoxy-6-Carbomethoxybiphenyl Isolated From Shilajit
Phytotherapy Research, Vol. 2, No. 4, 1988 pp187.
wikipedia search:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shilajit
