Author:
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: July 3, 2002
A United States patent has been
granted to Indian scientists on the use of cow urine distillate as bio-enhancer,
Minister of Science and Technology Murli Manohar Joshi announced on Wednesday.
"A combination of Indian traditional
wisdom and modern science has led to a unique US Patent No. 6,410,059 that
was granted to Indian scientists on June 25, 2002," an excited Joshi said
in a special function in New Delhi.
The patent has been granted for
a pharmaceutical composition containing an antibiotic and cow urine distillate
in an amount effective to enhance the anti-microbial effects of antibiotic
and anti-fungal agents.
The invention relates to an absolutely
novel use of cow urine as activity enhancer and availability facilitator
for bioactive molecules including anti-infective and anti-cancer agents.
"The present invention has direct
implication in drastically reducing the dosage of antibiotics, drugs and
anti-cancer agent while increasing the efficiency of absorption of bio-active
molecules, thereby reducing the cost of treatment and also the side-effects
due to toxicity," Joshi said.
The use of cow urine is known for
a long time in India. Go-mutra (cow's urine) has been described as a substance
with innumerate therapeutic values in Sushrita Samhita and Ashtanga Sangraha.
However, the biological activity of cow's urine was not tested scientifically,
he said.