Salts are a very important ingredient in Traditional Indian Medicine System, Among these, Some that are naturally occurring and some others are artificially produced. In the Siddha language, Salts are classified into two types. First one are formed by combining Metals with Acids, and the Second one are Organic elements obtained from Plants.

Generally, all salts burn in fire and dissolve in water. However, some Salts, such as Camphor and Green Camphor, take a little bit longer time to dissolve in water. There are Ten natural Salts and Fifteen artificial salts are mentioned in our ancient texts.

Natural Salts include Camphor, Alum Stone, Poonir, Glass Gall, Green Camphor, Black Salt, Rock Salt, Golden Amber, Fish Amber, and Cuttle Fish Bone. The Glass Gall is also called as Fel Vitri. Even birds like Sparrows and Cuckoos eat Cuttle Fish Bone. The price of Ponnambar is equal to Gold.

In the Song, "Paruthiye Pathu Vakai Panpai Kelu, Paangana Soodanodu Seenanthanum, Varuthiye Pooneeru Valayaluppu, Manamaagum Pachai Karpooramagum, Puruthiye Kalluppu Kariyuppodu, Ponnambar Meenambar Nuraiyumame" available in the book Bogar 7000, names all those ten natural Salts.

There are Fifteen types of Artificial Salts such as Induppu, Pottilupu, Venkaram, Thurisu, Evacharam, Navacharam, Satthicharam, Ekampasaram, Kendhiyuppu, Tilalavanam, Kendhi Lavanam, Kaichulavanam, Pitala Lavanam, Sindhu Lavanam, and Kashi Lavanam.

Apart from these Salts, more than thirty Poisionous Minerals and more than a hundred Secondary Minerals are also used in Traditional Medicine.