Abstract

A REVIEW ON MEDICINAL USE OF COW URINE

Simanchal Panda*, Vyasamurthy and S. K. Sahoo

ABSTRACT

Cow (Bos indicus) urine/gomutra has been elaborately explained in Ayurveda and described in “Sushruta Samhita”, “Ashtanga Sangraha” and other Ayurvedic texts as an effective medicinal substance/secretion of animal origin with innumerable therapeutic properties.Gomutra is not a toxic waste material. 95% of it is water, 2.5% consists of urea, and the remaining 2.5% is a mixture of minerals, salts, hormones and enzymes.It augments B- and T-lymphocyte blastogenesis; and IgG, IgA and IgM antibody titers in mice. It also increases secretion of interleukin-1 and interleukin-2,phagocytic activity of macrophages, and is thus helpful in the prevention and control of infections. Antimicrobial and germicidal properties of gomutra are due to the presence of urea (strong effect), creatinine, swarn kshar (aurum hydroxide), carbolic acid, other phenols, calcium and manganese; its anticancer effect is due to uric acid’s antioxidant property and allantoin; immunity is improved by swarn kshar; and wound healing is promoted by allantoin. Cardiovascular health is maintained by a number of its components: kallikrein is vasodilator; the enzyme urokinase acts as a fibrinolytic agent; nitrogen, uric acid, phosphates and hippuric acid act as diuretic agents; ammonia maintains the integrity of blood corpuscles; nitrogen, sulfur, sodium and calcium components act as blood purifiers; while iron and erythropoietin stimulating factor maintain hemoglobin levels. Renal health is maintained by nitrogen, which acts as a renal stimulant, and urinary components which act as diuretic agents. Its antiobesity effect is due to the presence of copper ions; calcium promotes skeletal/bone health. Aurum hydroxide and copper act as antidotes for various poisons in the body.

Keywords: Bos indicus, creatinine, aurum hydroxide, antimicrobial germicidal activity.