a-collection-of-research-articles-on-the-medical-potential-of-cow-urine

Antidiabetic activity <strong>of</strong> cow urine and cow urine preparation 791
Table 1.
Effect <strong>of</strong> various preparations in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
Blood glucose concentration (mg/dL)
Treatment Daily dose (mg/kg) 0th day 3rd day (alloxan) 7th day 14th day 21st day
Insulin 1 unit/kg 83.2 ± 3.01 451.22 ± 19.30 349.42 ± 19.2 ∗∗ 201.44 ± 12.50 ∗∗ 133.10 ± 16.52 ∗∗∗
Diabetic control — 93.4 ± 4.23 439.54 ± 15.90 538.22 ± 20.40 517.98 ± 22.21 530.54 ± 15.20
CUP 200 79.50 ± 2.01 451.22 ± 13.40 380.44 ± 12.42 ∗∗ 318.60 ± 11.30 ∗∗ 235.55 ± 12.25 ∗
CUP 400 84.00 ± 3.04 458.80 ± 14.00 360.45 ± 11.18 ∗∗ 279.80 ± 11.08 ∗∗ 203.34 ± 15.10 ∗∗
AP 200 84.10 ± 3.54 478.44 ± 12.16 399.12 ± 13.03 ∗∗ 330.45 ± 13.55 ∗∗ 240.86 ± 18.22 ∗∗
AP 400 88.50 ± 4.65 439.42 ± 14.18 369.72 ± 10.90 ∗∗ 298.24 ± 14.50 ∗∗ 220.67 ± 17.55 ∗∗
CU 200 84.62 ± 5.00 480.42 ± 16.22 490.88 ± 10.30 465.45 ± 13.82 380.20 ± 18.00 ∗
CU 400 80.92 ± 7.01 430.45 ± 17.92 450.88 ± 17.89 410.12 ± 12.56 ∗ 262.40 ± 17.92 ∗∗
CU control 400 85.20 ± 3.46 88.54 ± 2.40 84.22 ± 4.80 87.70 ± 3.40 84.92 ± 4.20
Downloaded by [University <strong>of</strong> Gothenburg] at 21:45 17 September 2015
CUP, cow urine Preparation; AP, aqueous preparation; CU, fresh cow urine; CU control, non diabetic rats treated with fresh cow urine.
Values are expressed as mean ± SEM for six observations.
Statistical analysis was done by one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnet’s multiple comparison test. Significant at ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗ p < 0.01,
∗∗∗ p < 0.001 versus control.
Discussion
Cow, Bos indicus is a most valuable animal in all Veda;
it is called “the Mother <strong>of</strong> all.” A composition containing
cows excretions—urine, dung, milk, curd, and ghee—five
ingredients together known as “panchagawya,” is given to
women after delivering a baby. Panchagawya is the main ingredient
<strong>of</strong> many Ayurvedic preparations (Pathak & Kumar,
2003b). Cow urine, one <strong>of</strong> the ingredients in panchagawya,
is believed to have many therapeutic values. In India, cow
urine is used by the majority <strong>of</strong> the rural population as a
folklore remedy in almost all the states. Agencies in Gujarat
have been marketing cow urine preparations from multiple
outlets, advertising that they are sterilized and completely
fresh, with prices ranging from Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 per bottle.
Keeping in view the enormous role <strong>of</strong> cow’s urine in
medicinal and veterinary medicine, a scientific experiment
was performed in rats to elucidate the effect <strong>of</strong> cow urine
and cow urine containing preparation as an antidiabetic.
Alloxan produces hyperglycemia by a selective cytotoxic
effect on pancreatic beta cells. One <strong>of</strong> the intracellular
phenomena for its cytotoxicity is through generation <strong>of</strong>
free radicals demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro (Yadav
et al., 2002). Our investigations indicate the efficiency <strong>of</strong>
the herbal preparations in maintaining blood glucose levels
in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The glucose-lowering
activity observed in diabetic animals may be due to stimulation
<strong>of</strong> beta cells <strong>of</strong> pancreatic islets or stimulation <strong>of</strong>
glycogenesis (Miura et al., 2001). This may be due to the
presence <strong>of</strong> some hypoglycemic principles in the plants
used in these preparations because all these plants are well
known for their antidiabetic action (Grover et al., 2002;
Kar et al., 2003; Mohamed et al., 2006; Pulok et al., 2006),
and these plants have different types <strong>of</strong> mechanisms in
reducing blood glucose levels. Comparatively, the preparation
using cow urine was found to exhibit better activity
than did the one prepared using distilled water. This could
not be correlated with the nature <strong>of</strong> the phytoconstituents
present in the extracts because both extracts contains the
same nature <strong>of</strong> constituents. The interesting observation in
our study was the antidiabetic activity <strong>of</strong> pure cow urine.
The hypoglycemic effect was not observed in the normal
rats treated with fresh cow urine, and this indicates that the
possible mechanism behind the antidiabetic effect <strong>of</strong> fresh
cow urine may be due to its stimulation in peripheral use <strong>of</strong>
glucose. According to literature, cow urine was found to exhibit
an antioxidant effect (Krishnamurthi et al., 2004). Free
radicals are implicated in wide range <strong>of</strong> diseases including
diabetes; the antioxidant activity <strong>of</strong> cow urine also may be
one <strong>of</strong> the reasons for its observed antidiabetic effect.
Chemopr<strong>of</strong>iling <strong>of</strong> cow urine in our laboratory confirmed
the presence <strong>of</strong> protein, urea, uric acid, creatinine, phenol,
aromatic acids, enzymes such as acid phosphatase, alkaline
phosphatase, amylase, and vitamins (Gowenlock &
McMurray, 1988). Along with these, there may be some
other constituents that may be responsible for the observed
activity. From these observations, it was clear that the better
activity <strong>of</strong> herbal preparation prepared using cow urine may
be due to its synergistic effect with cow urine or, according
to ancient literature, cow urine is a wonderful solvent for
extraction, and so it is the ability <strong>of</strong> cow urine to extract out
more active constituents from the herbal drugs and thereby
increase antidiabetic activity.
Further pharmacological investigations are needed to
elucidate the mechanism <strong>of</strong> the observed antihyperglycemic
effect. This study supports the claim <strong>of</strong> the traditional healers
<strong>of</strong> Mandsaur.
Acknowledgement
The authors are thankful to Gayathri Parivar (local traditional
healers) for providing the necessary information to
carry out this <strong>research</strong> work.