Chemical physical properties of cow urine research papers
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Abstract
In the grim scenario where presently about 70% of pathogenic bacteria are resistant to at least one of the drugs for the treatment, cue is to be taken from traditional/indigenous medicine to tackle it urgently. The Indian traditional knowledge emanates from ayurveda, where Bos indicus is placed at a high pedestal for numerous uses of its various products. Urine is one of the products of a cow with many benefits and without toxicity. Various studies have found good antimicrobial activity of cow’s urine (CU) comparable with standard drugs such as ofloxacin, cefpodoxime, and gentamycin, against a vast number of pathogenic bacteria, more so against Gram-positive than negative bacteria. Interestingly antimicrobial activity has also been found against some resistant strains such as multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Antimicrobial action is enhanced still further by it being an immune-enhancer and bioenhancer of some antibiotic drugs. Antifungal activity was comparable to amphotericin B. CU also has anthelmintic and antineoplastic action. CU has, in addition, antioxidant properties, and it can prevent the damage to DNA caused by the environmental stress. In the management of infectious diseases, CU can be used alone or as an adjunctive to prevent the development of resistance and enhance the effect of standard antibiotics.
Introduction
Infectious diseases remain a major threat to the public health despite tremendous progress in human medicine. Emergence of widespread drug resistance to the currently available antimicrobials is a matter of deep concern. A high percentage of nosocomial infections are caused by highly resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. Each year in the United States, about 2 million people become infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria and at least 23,000 people die every year as a consequence of these infections. Many more people die from other conditions that are complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection [1]. In 2012, there were about 450000 new cases of MDR tuberculosis. Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis has been identified in 92 countries. Development of resistance to oral drug of choice fluoroquinolones, for urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli is very widespread, often sensitivity remains only for injectables [2]. Infections caused by resistant microorganisms often fail to respond to the standard treatment, resulting in prolonged illness, higher health care expenditures, and a greater risk of death. There is a dire need for the development of new antimicrobial agents with sensitivity intact against microorganisms [3,4]. The rational designing of novel drugs from traditional medicines to treat these difficult to treat infections offers a new prospect for the modern health-care system.
Ayurvedic texts (Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Sangrah and Bhav Prakash Nighantu) describe cow urine (CU) (gomutra) as an effective medicinal substance/secretion of animal origin with innumerable therapeutic uses. Cow (Kamadhenu) has been considered as a sacred animal in India. In Rigveda (10/15), CU is compared to nectar. In Susruta (45/221) and in Charak (sloka-100) several medicinal properties of CU have been mentioned such as weight loss, reversal of certain cardiac and renal diseases, indigestion, stomach ache, diarrhea, edema, jaundice, anemia, hemorrhoids and skin diseases including vitiligo. Gomutra is capable of removing all the imbalances in the body, thus maintaining the general health [5]. CU contains 95% water, 2.5% urea, minerals, 24 types of salts, hormones, and 2.5% enzymes. It also contains iron, calcium, phosphorus, carbonic acid, potash, nitrogen, ammonia, manganese, iron, sulfur, phosphates, potassium, urea, uric acid, amino acids, enzymes, cytokine and lactose [6].
CU is an effective antibacterial agent against a broad spectrum of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and also against some drug-resistant bacteria. It acts as a bio-enhancer of some antimicrobial drugs. It has antifungal, anthelmintic, antineoplastic action, is useful in hypersensitivity reactions and in numerous other diseases including increasing the life-span of a person. Recent researches have shown that CU is an immune-enhancer also [7-9]. Therapeutic properties of CU have been validated by modern science also.