Abstract

Cowpathy refers to the concept of application of cow products for healing purpose. This has emerged as a new offshoot of the traditional Ayurveda of India. This system makes use of the major five products derived from cows for treatment of ailments. The five components employed in cowpathy healing system include milk, urine, dung, ghee, and curd derived from the cow. Two variants of cowpathy are in practice today, the Panchagavya therapy and cow urine therapy [1]. Panchagavya is a product prepared using the above five components of the cow and is produced as liquid formulation as well as semisolid Panchagavya Ghritha formulation. The mode of delivery is either oral intake or topical application. The ancient Ayurveda literature like “Sushrita Samhita” and ”Ashtanga Sangraha”, have the reference of the preparation and medicinal applications of cow products [2]. Several individuals and organizations in India have revived this domain of healing during recent past. This approach succeeded in bringing positive impact on healthcare during the last few decades. Of course, the society is divided still now regarding the efficacy of these products. In order to end such controversies, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), an autonomous Ayurvedic research organization of the Government of India has subjected the Panchagavya ghrita for its technicality and efficacy evaluation. The formulation has been legally endorsed based on the Ayurvedic classical texts and Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I. The efficacy and safety/toxicity evaluation have also been confirmed by CCRAS [3].