Immunomodulation using cowpathy

Cowpathy (Panchgavya chikitsa) is an age old system of medicine described in ancient Indian literature ‘Ayurveda’, means the therapy of human ailments through cow products. In Ayurvedic system, the medicines are prepared either from plants or from animals besides the use of certain metals. The Ayurvedic medicines of animal origin are mainly prepared from indigenous cow products such as urine, dung, milk, curd and ghee. Medicinal use of cow urine has been in practice since time immemorial in India. The Panchgavya principle of Ayurveda consists of cow urine besides other products like milk, ghee, butter milk (matha), dung as its main ingredients. The preliminary studies on immunomodulation with cow urine generated interest among the scientists. The cow urine distillate (Kamdhenu Ark) was found to increase immunity in mice. It also increases the phagocytic activity of macrophages and secretion of interleukin 1 and 2. Recently, the cow urine has also been granted US patent for its synergistic properties with antibiotics and as bioenhancer. It provided the base for further research and detailed studies on immunomodulatory properties of indigenous cow urine and its comparison with the urine of cross bred and exotic cows, buffaloes and goat using modern biotechnological tools. As per an estimate by WHO, by the year 2020, the antibiotics will no more be wonder drugs. It is an established fact that most of the antibiotic drugs have lost their capacity by way of increased resistance in bacteria. Then in such situation, cowpathy will play a major role in prevention and control of infections in man and animal.