Characterization of Tibetan MedicineZuotaby Multiple Techniques

Abstract

Zuotais regarded as the king of Tibetan medicine. However, due to the confidentiality of this precious medicine, the scientific characterization ofZuotais very scarce, which limits the pharmacology and biosafety studies ofZuota. Herein, we collected four differentZuotasamples from Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, and Sichuan and characterized them by multiple techniques. Our results showed thatZuotawas mainly an inorganic mixture of HgS, sulfur, and graphite. Morphologically,Zuotasamples were composed of nanoparticles, which further aggregated into microsized particles. Chemically, the majorities ofZuotawere S and Hg (in the forms of HgS and pure sulfur). All samples contained pure sulfur with orthorhombic crystalline.Zuotafrom Qinghai province had different HgS crystalline, namely, hexagonal crystalline. The others were all face-centered cubic crystalline. Carbon inZuotaNPs was in the form of graphite. The implication to future studies ofZuotawas discussed.