Livestock is deemed as the oldest wealth resource for mankind. The Cow, Bos indicus is the most valuable animal in all Veda and it is called as the Mother of all. In Ayurvedha the cow’s urine or Gomutra Ark has got unique place and has been described in ‘SushrutaSamhita’ and ‘AstangaSangraha’ to be the most effective substance of animal origin with innumerable therapeutic values. It has been recognized as the water of life or “Amrita” (beverage of immortality), the nector of the God. In India, drinking of gomutra has been practiced from thousands of years and Panchgavya a formulation made out of cow’s urine (Gomutra), milk (Godugdha), curd (Godadhi), ghee (Goghrit) and dung (Gomaya) is preferred for many of diseases.
Gomutra has been described as an important liquid with innumerable therapeutic values, capable of curing several incurable diseases in human beings and plants. It is not only used for treating human but also for animal health and plant growth. Cow urine is very useful in agricultural operations as a biofertilizer and biopesticide. It is a rich source of macro- micronutrients, possess disinfectant and prophylactic properties. In India, gomutra is used by the majority of the rural population and nowadays it is used by urban population also because of understanding its health benefits.
The composition of cow urine
Cow urine contains water 95%, urea 2.5%, minerals, salt, hormones and enzymes 2.5%. It contains iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, urea, uric acid, amino acids, enzymes, cytokine, and lactose etc.
Therapeutic uses of cow urine
Different Ayurvedic literatures have mentioned the properties and use of Gomutra for treatment of various diseases. According to Sushrut Samhita sutra sthan 45/220-221 Gomutra is Katu Rasa (pungent), Laghu (easily digestible), Tikshna (penetrating), Ushanavirya (hot in potency), Agnidipaka (kindles digestion), Medhya (improves intellect). Because of alkaline property, it does not increase Vata, it increases Pitta, decreases Kapha and Vata (Charak Samhita, 2013). In Charak Samhita sutra sthan 1/102 cow urine is Madhur rasa (sweet) and in Astang Samgraha sutra sthan 6/141-143 Gomutra is Katu rasa and Lavanaanurasa and considered as best among all other animal urine (Astanga Samgraha, 2011). Following are the benefits of cow urine in human medicine;
- Stomach, kidney and heart diseases: Cow dung and urine are best cures for stomach diseases, heart diseases, kidney problems and tuberculosis.
- Stones: A glass of freshly collected cow urine which contains uric acid taken as a first thing in the morning for 21 days dissolves the urinary stones to a manageable size.
- Antidiabetic effect: The cow urine distillate has antidiabetic effect and it reduces elevated blood glucose, serum cholesterol, and serum triglyseroides levels.
- Skin diseases: It is very helpful for all kind of skin problems, itching, sunburns, eczema, psoriasis, acne etc.
- Liver problem: Daily doses of 1-2 ounces of warm cow urine are used to treat cirrhosis of liver.
- Jaundice: Antimony sulfide and cow urine are used to cure malignant jaundice.
- Athlete’s feet: It has a cure for athlete’s feet ache.
- Immune stimulant: Cow urine has immune stimulant activity in plants and animal health.
- Anticonvulsant agent: A herbal preparation popular in Nigeria is based on cow’s urine and some herbs known as cow urine concoction (CUC). Its major pharmacological actions are anticonvulsant and hypoglycemic effects.
- Cysts: Sebaceous cyst incision followed by washing with cow’s urine is effective.
- Bioenhancer: Cow urine has a property of bioenhancer. These are the substances, which do not possess drug activity of their own but promote and augment the bioactivity or bioavailability or the uptake of drugs in combination therapy.
- Anticancer properties: Cow urine possesses anticancer properties. Research works carried out by Go-Vigyan Anusandhan Kendra (Cow science research center) at Nagpur revealed the beneficial properties of cow urine in the treatment of cancer.
- Wound healing property: The cow urine is having antiseptic properties in wound healing and the healing time is somewhat less in comparison to wound on which antiseptic cream applied.
- Antioxidant and Antimicrobial properties: The cow urine and its distillate tested for antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, it shows that comparatively fresh cow urine is found to be better than its distillate.
- Disinfectant: Cow urine can be used for the preparation of disinfectant.
- Antifungal activity of Cow urine: Antifungal activity of cow urine was analyzed (In vitro) against Aspergillus flavus. When the two fungal organisms were compared, maximum growth suppression was observed in Aspergillus niger than Aspergillus flavus.
Agricultural use
- Vermicompost: Cow’s urine has been used for the production of vermicompost since long back.
- Biopesticides: Cow urine after addition of neem leaves is a wonderful biopesticide. Such biopesticides are safe to use. They do not have residues and accumulate in the food chain and as such do not have the harmful effects like chemical pesticides.
Use of cow urine in organic farming
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducted research under its Network Project on Organic Farming and observed that cow urine can supplement the nutrient value of the soil and help in the management of insects, pests, and diseases under the different organic crop production systems. The spray used for controlling pests must be a mixture of 10 percent urine and 90 percent water. ICAR and NITI Aayog have started motivating farmers towards use of cow urine and many farmers have started using cow urine in agricultural production and farm management. This has minimized use of fertilizers and pesticides in fields and increased soil fertility and production.
Patents on cow urine
Cow urine is used as an ingredient of several ayurvedic formulations and also used as an adjuvant in medical formulations and pharmaceutical processing including trituration and distillation. Medicines from cow fall under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940 under section 3(a) and Section 3(h). Nowadays a lot of emphasis has been given to the medicinal use of Cow urine in India and it has got number of patents from different countries. Among them, Govigyan Anusandhan Kendra in Deolapar, Nagpur, a cow research institute has got six patents, five from the US and one from China. These patents relates to the use of the cow’s excretions such as urine, dung and milk for therapeutic uses.
- US Patents Number 6410059
This invention relates to a use of cow urine as an activity enhancer and availability facilitator for bioactive molecules, including anti-infective agents. This invention reduces the dosage of antibiotics, drugs and anti-infective agents while increasing the efficiency of absorption of bio-active molecules, thereby reducing the cost of treatment and also the side-effects due to toxicity.
- US Patents Numbers 6896907 and 7235262
The invention relates to a novel pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of bio-active fraction from cow urine distillate as a bioavailability facilitator and pharmaceutically acceptable additives selected from anticancer compounds, antibiotics, drugs, therapeutic and nutraceutical agents, ions and similar molecules which are targeted to the living systems.
- WO2004087176
It’s a composition useful for protecting and/or repairing DNA’s from oxidative damages.
A new income product for dairy farmers – Zero budget farming
Gomutra from India’s indigenous Bos indicus cows is considered as sacred by Hindus and it has got numerable therapeutic and agricultural uses. A healthy cow excretes around 20 to 30lts of urine per day. Many dairy farmers have started exploring this as a market product and they are selling cow urine as a product to ayurvedic pharmaceuticals and industries which manufactures cow urine products. It is fetching around 15 Rs to 30 Rs per liter for farmers on selling it to manufactures. Other than farmers, Gaushalas and Ashramas are collecting urine form their farm animals and after processing they are selling it to markets. Many cow urine commodities like a soap bar, toothpaste, floor cleaner, face wash and hair oil are running in the market and have gained importance also.
Conclusion
Cow urine has got numerous benefits in relation to human health and agricultural production. For sustainable production many farmers are utilizing gomutra for organic production and thereby reducing the use of chemical pesticides. In ayurvedha, gomutra has got special place and has been advocated for curing many human skin and gastrointestinal diseases. In addition to these, hundreds of gomutra ark based cosmetic products are available in market and the demands from consumers are noted too. Hence, as a source of additional income to dairy farmers for conversion of waste to wealth and for sustainable production an eco-friendly, cost effective and easily available gomutra ark utilization must be promoted.
References
- Annonymous. 2011. ICAR, Vision 2030, 2(3).
- Devakumar, N., Shubha, S., Rao, G.G.E. and Imrankhan. 2014. Studies on soil fertility, cow urine and panchagavya levels on growth and yield of maize. Proceedings of the 4th ISOFAR Scientific Conference. ‘Building Organic Bridges’, at the Organic World Congress, Istanbul, Turkey, 13-15
- Jarald, E., Edwin, S., Tiwari, V., Garg, R. and Toppo, E., 2008. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of cow urine. Global journal of pharmacology, 2(2): 20-22.
- Randhawa, G.K. and Sharma, R., 2015. Chemotherapeutic potential of cow urine: A review. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology, 4(2): 180.
- Sodani, R. and Kumar, S., 2017. Cow urine: a boon for sustainable agriculture. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci, 6(2): 1824-1829.
The 2 authors have enhanced my knowledge and understanding of the immense benefits humans derive by using cow urine as also by proper administration oif cow urine in organic farming, as also in domestic use. Indeed cows are the real wealth creators and they are to be well cared for by our society.