Description
Moti — pearl — is a naturally occurring calcareous concretion produced within the mantle tissue of saltwater oysters, principally Pinctada margaritifera (black-lipped oyster) and Pinctada fucata (Akoya oyster), as a biological defence response around an irritant. Composed of alternating layers of aragonite (calcium carbonate) and the organic matrix conchiolin, pearl possesses an iridescent lustre that has made it among the most coveted natural objects in human history. In Ayurvedic Rasa Shastra, Moti undergoes strict Shodhana (purification) and is then incinerated with specific herbal media to produce Mukta Bhasma — a fine, white calcareous ash incorporated in Rasayana formulations for cardiac conditions, calcium supplementation, and Pitta-alleviating preparations. Historically harvested from the Persian Gulf, Sri Lanka’s Gulf of Mannar, and the Tuticorin coast of Tamil Nadu.
