Panchgavya Therapy (Cowpathy): Current Status and Future Directions

Abstract

Panchgavya (Cowpathy) is an age old system of medicine which has very high place in Ayurveda since 5000 years but this type of therapeutic approach has not been given due importance in past. Ayurvedic medicines of animal origin are mainly prepared from cow products and named as Panchgavya which means five items received from cows that includes milk, curd, ghee, urine and dung. The Kamdhenu Ark prepared from cow urine was found to augment B- and T-lymphocyte blastogenesis; IgG, IgA and IgM antibody titers in mice. It has been observed that cow urine has increased the phagocytic activity of macrophages and thus helpful in prevention and control of bacterial infections. It also increases the secretion of interleukin-1 and interleukin-2. Thus, The cow urine has been found to modulate the immunity in a positive manner that can be used as an immunomodulatory drug in animals.