1. In a study conducted by experts, the following observation has been made -
Panchagavya Ghrita contains cow milk, cow ghee, cow urine, cow dung, and curd milk. Out of these five contents cow milk and the cow
urine are extensively analyzed. cow milk contains carbohydrate, calcium, phosphorus, iron ,vitamins A and riboflavin etc. on the
other hand cow urine contains sulphur, ammonia, copper, iron urea, uric acid , sodium potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, vitamins A, B ,C,
D, E lactose enzymes, creatine. Out of these which component is responsible for its action is really difficult to comment upon.
Cow products especially Cow’s urine is rich in volatile free acids which are very potent antioxidant agents. Also there are enough
evidences to suggest the role of oxidants in the causation of epilepsy. If these two facts are considered together then it can
be said that PG offers protection in MES induced convulsions by virtue of its antioxidant action.
The Studies revealed -
i) PG gives protectionfrom maximal electroshock induced convulsions
ii)increased the spontaneous motor activity as measured by actophotometer.
iii) Inhibited the pentobarbitone induced sleep time in rats. while
iv) there was no effect on the general behavior of the rats except increase in the general activity.
(Ref: Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research Vol 5, Issue 1, 2012 - EFFECT OF PANCHAGAVYA GHRITA ON SOME NEUROLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN ALBINO RATS GOSAVI DEVESH D1*, PREMENDRAN S JOHN2)
2. In another study, the following has been reported -
Treatment with Panchagavya Ghrita significantly reduced the CCl 4 induced hepatotoxicity.
A comparative histological study of liver from different groups further confirmed the hepatoprotective activity of Panchagavya Ghrita.
(Ref: Indian Journal of Pharmacology 2003 35: 308-311. Hepatoprotective activity of panchagavya ghrita against carbontetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats - G S Achliya, N R Kotagale, S G Wadodkar, A K Dorle)
3. In a study conducted on the effect of Panchagavya Ghrita on Jara - Aging, the below was observed -
On Medha, the effect of Panchagavya Ghrita shows highly significant relief, in Grahana Shakti Hani in Group A, while improvement in Grahana Shakti Hani, Dharana Shakti Hani, and Smarana Shakti Hani was also highly significant in Group B (P ≤ 0.001). It is clearly indicated in the literature of Ayurveda that Go Ghrita has the property to increase Dhi, Dhriti, and Smriti.
Analytical study shows that Panchagavya Ghrita has more Vitamin A than plain Go Ghrita. It is indicated that Chakshushya effect is obtained with Panchagavya Ghrita. Observations are also in favor of this analysis that 18.20% patients got relief in Drishti Hani on subjective parameters.
Biochemical parameters show that HDL was increased significantly, while blood urea and serum creatinine were decreased in Group A. It indicates that though Gomootra is a content of Panchagavya Ghrita, it shows significant decrease in blood urea.
Highly significant results were obtained in Grahana Shakti Hani (P ≤ 0.001) and Twak Hani (P ≤ 0.001), while significant result was found in Smarana Shakti Hani (P = 0.004).
Highly significant result was obtained in Kasa (P ≤ 0.001)
S. high density lipoprotein (HDL) (P = 0.010) was increased significantly, whereas S. creatinine (P = 0.038) and uric acid (P = 0.041) were decreased significantly. In lipid profile, S. triglyceride (P = 0.186) was found to be decreased though it was insignificant. The increase of LDL and decrease of VLDL were insignificant in this group. While no significant increase was found in LDL, VLDL value decreased, but was not significant.
Dose of drug was 10 g/day early in the morning on empty stomach along with lukewarm water. Total duration of therapy was 90 days.
(Ref: Ayu. 2012 Apr-Jun 33(2): 264–269. - Critical study of Jara (aging) and its management - Nisha Parmar, Mahesh Vyas,1 and Hitesh Vyas2)
4. Panchagavya, a classical Ayurvedic preparation, was evaluated for its antioxidant potential by HPTLC-DPPH bioautography method as well as assays for Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH – free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) and Superoxide radical scavenging activity. In addition total phenolic content was also estimated which was in fairly good amount. HPTLC-DPPH bioautography study revealed the presence of several antioxidant compounds in Panchagavya. In all the assays performed, it showed considerable antioxidant activity. On comparison of the data of three different batches of the samples studied, it showed 98.3 - 99.8% correlation between total phenolic content, FRAP and DPPH assays.
Free radicals are generated in both aqueous and lipid portions of intracellular and extracellular environments so it is crucial for the body to have a combination of water soluble and lipid soluble antioxidants to acquire the full range of protection. Some types of antioxidants are synthesized by the body while others are obtained from external sources like food, nutraceuticals 5. Panchagavya is a unique preparation having both water based (colloidal milk without fat portion, urine, curd and dung) and fat based (ghee, milk with fat particles) products. It is likely to provide both polar and non-polar natural antioxidants. The data of the antioxidant study revealed uncommon activity limiting behavior. The probability of its higher activity in low concentration at cellular level cannot be ruled out but requires detail study.
Since both water and lipid soluble antioxidants are needed by the body for intra and extracellular clearance of the oxidative stress and Panchagavya contains both water based and lipid based products, it has advantage as potential antioxidant. The study indicates some basis for the practice of using Panchagavya in cancer.
(EVALUATION OF IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF PANCHAGAVYA: A TRADITIONAL AYURVEDIC PREPARATION - Athavale et al., IJPSR, 2012 Vol. 3(8): 2543-2549 ISSN: 0975-8232) Available online on www.ijpsr.com 2549
5. Panchagavya Ghrita has been used in Motor Neuron Disease with success
(Ref: EVALUATION OF IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF PANCHAGAVYA: A TRADITIONAL AYURVEDIC PREPARATION - Prasad Mamidi, Kshama Gupta)
Girl, Computer, Notebook
6. The below is an extract of paper published by Dr. Vasudevan from Kerala on usage of Panchagavya Ghrita in Alzheimer's Disease -
Alzheimer’s disease is a kind of mental deterioration in the middle or old age. It is a neurological problem in modern terms. The patient was 50 year’s old. He was not able to remember even his name and not knowing where he was going. Everything happened all of sudden and he was brought to me on the 3rd day of attack. First few days he had been given cow’s milk and cow’s urine in equal quantity as medicine, and that really worked. After 7 days there had some sign of improvement and he started remembering incidents of the distant past. To remember recent issues it took several months. Cow’s urine and milk are brain stimulants. Panchagavya Ghritam is a medicine for Epilepsy containing cow’s urine and milk. Epilepsy is called Apasmara in Ayurveda, means loss of memory. Alzheimer’s disease is also memory loss. Therefore, I treated him with the medicine of epilepsy. In epilepsy the memory is lost because the 10 Dhamanies (channels) connected to Hridaya that pass massages to brain are getting blocked with aggravated Kapha in the channels. Hence no message is transmitted to the brain that is the reason for the memory loss. Opening up of the channels by way of removing Kapha, purifying blood with Medhya (Brain stimulant) is the logic of the treatment. If a trail is made to trace out Alzheimer’s in Ayurvedic scriptures, we will not able to be find it out and confirms that such a disease was unknown centuries ago when scriptures were composed. It’s a wrong notion. Ayurveda is complete by itself in terms of principles and its application has no limits.
7. A panchagavya Ayurvedic formulation containing E. officinalis, G. glabra, and cow's ghee was evaluated for its effect on pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures, maximal electroshock-induced seizures, spontaneous motor activity, rota-rod performance (motor coordination) and antagonism to amphetamine in mice. The formulation (300, 500 mg/kg, po) produced a significant prolongation of pentobarbital-induced sleeping time and reduced spontaneous locomotor activity. The formulation also significantly antagonised the amphetamine induced hyper-locomotor activity (500, 750 mg/kg, po) and protected mice against tonic convulsions induced by maximal electroshock (500, 750 mg/kg, po). The formulation slightly prolonged the phases of seizure activity but did not protect mice against lethality induced by pentylenetetrazole. The formulation did not show neurotoxicity. The results suggest that the panchagavya formulation is sedative in nature.
(Ref: Neuropharmacological actions of panchagavya formulation containing Emblica officinalis Gaerth and Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn in mice. Achliya GS, Wadodkar SG, Avinash KD)
8. A study was carried out to investigate effect of Panchagavya on E. coli in procured milk. Results showed no growth of colonies in the petridishes which were treated with Panchagavya indicating selective destruction of E. coli in milk. Urinary carbonate, whey proteins, casein, butyric acid, bacteriophages, endosymbiotic and lysogenic bacteria present in Panchagavya may have role in destruction of E. coli.
(Ref: Subramaniam, A., 2005. Effect of Panchagavya on Escherichia coli in procured milk. Indian Vet. J., July, 82, pp.799-800.)
Analytical Parameters:
The Analytical Parameters have been found as below -
Loss on drying : < 0.5 (110 degree Celsius )
.
Refractive index : 1.45-1.46
Iodine value : 29 – 33
Saponification value : 207 – 212
Acid value : < 4
(Ayu: formulary of India-revised edition)