Panchgavya: Pharmaco-therapeutic perspectives

Panchgavya means therapy of human or animal ailments using five cow products i.e. cows urine, milk, curd, dung and ghee. In India, panchgavya chikitsa has a unique place in Ayurveda. It is an alternate prophylactic and therapeutic approach for sound human and livestock health, which is safe, cheaper and without any side effects. The ancient ayurvedic literature (Vir Charak Samhita, Sushrut, Gad Nigrah) suggests a number of pharmacological applications of the substances used in panchgavya. In Ayurveda, there is a long tradition of using cow products for positive health, pharmaceutical processes and in therapeutics. All five products either alone or with each other possess many pharmacotherapeutic properties against wide numbers of diseases and disorders of animals and human. The cow derived products are proved to possess anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, anticonvulsant, antistress, analgesic, antihemorroids and many other therapeutic uses which are still to be explored. This review includes many diversified pharmaco-therapeutic utility of the components of panchgavya for health of animals and humans.