Pooneeru (Trona or Earth Salt or Fullers Earth) is a mixture of white salt and limestone found on Earth. It is available only in certain areas of Tamil Nadu. Siddha doctors have been collecting these salts, which bloom on the earth as full moon days, and using them to make medicine. Many medicines are made such as Muppu Chunnam, Muppu Thiravagam, Kalamega Narayana Chenduram, Kodasuri Veeravaipu, Narayana Chenduram, Karunguruvai Kadi. It is also widely used in the purification of various metallic and folk medicines. It is abundantly used in Tamil medicine only. Marutthuva Pooneeru is also known as Trona (Medicated Pooneeru, Fullers earth, Pirisonite) plays a very important role in the healing process. In the Sambasima Pillai Tamil Dictionary, there are 32 places where Pooneeru is found. Various references to Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) are found in Tamil medical texts. There are many references to Pooneeru in Agathiyar Gnanakummi, Padartha Gunasintamani, Gnanavettiyan, Navaratna Vaidyachintamani, Pancharathinam-500, Bogar-7000, Chattamuni Vada Kavyam, Eni etram, Theran Shekarappa, Anubhavaithya Navaneetham of Abdulla Saheb, Chikicha Rathina Deepam, Agathiar 800, Therayar Karisal etc. The Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) used for making medicine is found on the earth on the days of a full moon. It is then collected and used to purifying and cleaning the raw materials required for making medicines. It is called Pooneeru because it blooms from the earth and Pooneeru because it is white in colour. The speciality of Pooneeru is that the higher order medicines of Siddha are made from Pooneeru water. In the Agastya tradition, the Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) is referred to as the feminine element. That means there is positive energy. It is known as Madhiyuppu, Velaiyuppu, Suddha Ganga, Brahma Karpam, Sakamuli, Sowkaram, Nagam, Niluppu, Mathippu, Ayyanadam, Annai Umai Naadam, Swayampuneeru, Janakathira Mooli, Kovanur Man and Pooneri. It is presented with words like Puli, Vindhu natham, Sattinam, Karuvandu, Neyyamuppu, Poornam, Lekiyam and Naadam. 

The best Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) obtained from the soil helps for alchemy. 

Agathiyar Gnanakummi states that the best water is the one available at Kovanur in Sivaganga district at present. Tamil medical texts state that the Pooneeru is obtained from the earth on the full moon day in the month of Maasi, the full moon day in the month of Chithirai and the full moon day in the month of Panguni. In the earth, Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) is called a male characteristic if it looks like a long stick and a female characteristic if it looks like a beak (kokku). Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) cannot be produced artificially. Due to the electric energy available in the sky, the water in the swampy brackish soil condenses into cosmic stones and is found at a depth of two to five feet. On the days of the full moon, in the months of Tai, Masi and Panguni, the celestial body appears as a pearl falling from the earth. It should be collected before sunrise. Otherwise, it will be scorched by the sun's heat. Siddhar hymns refer to the boon as mother earth and father moon as the Tamil medical texts state that this Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) is obtained by the energy of the moon. Agathiyar Paribashai states that water has alkalinity, alkalinity, and acidity. Collect the water and store it in a glass jar. One should use oyster or clinker or bamboo sticks to exploit the pollen. The texts that mention the concept of Pooneera are referred to as Dikshaviti. There is a special mention of Pooneeru in the book Agathiyar Antanga Dikshavithi. It is also used in combination with other medicines.

The Bogar 7000 refers to the artificial preparation of Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) in China. Natural Trona (Medicated Pooneeru) is the best. Padarth Guna Chintamani text refers Ponneeru to cure skin diseases, eczema, gastric problems and stomach ulcers. Pooneeru is added to medicines like Sapta Lavan Churnam, Navauppu mezhugu, Neeruchunnam, Pooneeru cheyaneer, thayirchunti churanam, thiriliga Chenduram, Erineer, Gunmakudori mezhugu, Rasa parpam, Muppu chunnam, Sanga thiravagam, Navauppu thiravagam, Ayakantha chenduram, Thirumoorthy pathangam etc. In Siddha medicines oyster, asbestos, lobster, turtle, egg etc which are obtained from sea can be used to purify using Pooneeru. Shelf-life period of any Siddha medicine can be increased using Pooneeru. Pooneeru is called in many other names with a small variation in their components TRONA (Sodium esquicarbonate dehydrate - Na2CO3-NaHCO3-2H2O) or Pirsonite (Ca Na Hydrocarbonates) or Fuller’s Earth. Mostly it contains calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron. Trona or Fuller’s Earth data has been stored in Rajasthan, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Availability and locations are listed. However, there is no information about the same in Tamil Nadu.

Kovanur village in Sivaganga district, Varapur village in Pudukkottai district and Siddamalli village in Pudukkottai district are the places where the trona or Pooneeru (Earth Salt or Fullers Earth) is most found. Trona or Pooneeru (Earth Salt or Fullers Earth) is a symbol of Tamil medicine. In the book Agathiyar Gnana Kummi, it is mentioned that although there is Pooneeru (Earth Salt or Fullers Earth) available in Kovanur village. It is also found in many places of Tamil Nadu. The Pooneeru (Earth Salt or Fullers Earth) available in Kovanur village in Sivaganga district is the best as per Agathiyar Gnana Kummi text.

Kōvaṉūrup poṭṭalilē

kuṇṭu mēṉiyam'maṉ cannitiyil

cākā mūli mūḷaittirukkutu ataic

cārntu pāraṭi - ñāṉap peṇṇē

- akattiyar ñāṉakkum'mi

CCRS has obtained Patent for Pooneru preparation technique. Pooneeru is the pride of Siddha Medicine. Mathiuppu (Pooneeru) is mentioned in Agathiyar 12000 to prepare synthetic Gold and Silver metal. Thanks to Madurai Court for the initiative to protect Pooneeru in future. Heart' felt thanks to Dr Manikandan, Treasurer, Association of Siddha Hospitals and Clinics, Madurai for exploring Pooneeru.

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