Introduction:
Cow
ghee, the butter fat obtained from the cow’s milk has been claimed to have many
medicinal properties like it is cooling in energy, rejuvenating, bestows luster
and beauty, enhances memory and stamina, increases the intellect, promotes
longevity, is an aphrodisiac and protects the body from various diseases.(1)
In
recent work cow’s ghee has been seen to exhibit excellent wound healing
property.(2) It also potentiates antimicrobial activity of the antibiotics.(3) Ghrita, the preparation of cow’s ghee with herbal drugs has
promising immunostimulant, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity.(4) Another formulation containing cow’s ghee and
brahmi known as Brahmi ghrita exerts substantial memory enhancing, CNS depressant
and anticonvulsant activity.(5,6) It is possible that this activity is because
of its ability to penetrate blood brain barrier and also to facilitate building
or supporting the biochemical activities of tissues such as neurons. The fatty
acids in the ghee may induce such activity.
According to General Guidelines for the
methodologies on Research and Evaluation of Traditional Medicine published by
WHO, although observational studies involving large number of patients may be a
valuable tool for the evaluation of herbal medicine; but the treatment,
diagnosis of illness is often based on the specific needs of the individual
patient.(7) Therefore, single case studies for the
efficacy of a herbal medicine should not be ignored. And this has been given
emphasis in this particular document of WHO.
Through
this article, we wish to report a case in which a severe wound on the back of a
domesticated buffalo which failed to respond to a prolonged conventional
antibiotic treatment responded very fast to a treatment with a formulation
containing cow’s ghee.
Methodology:
Background: The case subject
An
aged (15 years) domesticated buffalo suffered the deep skin injury because of
rubbing against the rock in the pond. Injury was treated with conventional
antibiotic ointment but failed to respond to the treatment, presumably because
of the habit of the buffalo to sit in the pond. Treatment continued for a
period of about three months, but the wound became worst. The prognosis at this
stage was worst when the treatment with cream containing cow ghee was started.
Prior
to the treatment with the cow’s ghee cream, the buffalo received following
treatments:
I. The paste of curcumin
was applied for 4 days due to which the wound appeared to reduce in size,
however, the wound soon started increasing in size and was infected heavily.
II. Nomax antiseptic
cream was applied regularly for 4 days. Despite initial favourable
response the infection reappeared.
III. Following treatment was given:
1. Inj. Megamycin - twice a day (Clarithromycin
from Mega Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd)
2. Bolus
lixen - twice a day (Cephalexin
from Glaxo Smithkline
Pharmaceuticals)
3. Terramycin 500 -
twice a day (Oxytetracyclin from Pfizer Ltd.)
4. Himax
cream - (Herbal extract of Arjuna bark from HVS
animal health)
Treatment
was continued for 4 days without any substantial result.
IV. Following treatment was given:
1. Inj. Dicrystin - twice a day (Procaine PenicillinG
and Penicillin G Sod. From Sarabhai Zydus Animal
Health Ltd.)
2. Bolus
T. R. P. - twice a day (Zinc Sulphate, Bromelain, DL- methionine, L-lysine HCl, arginine, D- biotin, Vit. A, aloe vera from Dosch Pharmaceutical Pvt. Ltd.)
3. Topicure
spray - (Sarala, Tailaparna,
Devadaru from Natural remedy)
There was some
relief during initial three days but thereafter the infection flared up and the
wound expanded in size.
V. Treatment with cow’s ghee cream:
Formulation:
Cow’s Ghee 10.00%
Tea Tree Oil 1.00%
Stearic Acid 6.00%
Ethylene Glycol Monostearate 3.00%
Cetyl
Alcohol 3.00%
Triethanolamine 1.00%
Glycerine 10.00%
Preservative 0.2%
Water q.s.
This
formulation was selected on the basis of several preliminary experiments and
trials. The cream was prepared by conventional method.
The
prepared cream was applied to the wound with a cotton swab and the wound left
open without application of dressing of any sort.
Result:
Plate I shows the condition of
the wound prior to the treatment with cream containing cow’s ghee. About 50%
relief was seen after six days of application of cream. The area of wound was
reduced to a considerable extent. Complete healing of the wound was observed
after the treatment with cream for about a month. Plate II displays the wound
after 10 days of treatment with cream containing cow’s ghee.
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Plate I: BEFORE TREATMENT – FRESH WOUND |
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Plate II: AFTER 10 DAYS TREATMENT – WOUND HEALED |
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Discussion:
It seems worthwhile noting that
the wound which did not respond to variable treatment that ranges from simple
herbal preparation like turmeric to modern medicine i.e. antibiotics responded
very well to the treatment of formulation containing cow’s ghee. Cow’s ghee has
been reported to exert significant wound healing activity. Its antifungal
activity has also been shown to be independent of any antibiotic or antifungal
agent, which may be included into the formulation. In the present case all
antibiotics were discontinued and the formulation contained only cow’s ghee as
an active component.
Cow’s ghee has been reported to
exhibit antiulcer activity and also effective against infection in the eyes.
Ghee contains several saturated and unsaturated fatty acids which are capable
of taking part in metabolic processes involved in healing of any wound. It
seems therefore worthwhile that the cow’s ghee is explored further as an
effective clinical agent.
References:
1.
Chunekar
KC. Bhav Prakasa Nighantu (Hindi translation). Chaukhambha
Publications, Varanasi, 1960.
2. 2. Charde
MS, Fulzele SV, Satturwar
PM, Joshi SB, Kasture AV. Wound healing and anti-inflammatory potential of madhu ghrita. Indian J Pharm Sci, January, 2006; 68(1):
26-31
3. 3.
Prasad V, Dorle AK. Evaluation of ghee based
formulation for wound healing activity. J
Ethnopharmacology, January, 2006; 107(1):
38-47
4. Fulzele SV, Bhurchandi PM, Kanoje VM, Joshi
SB, Dorle AK. Immunostimulant
activity of Ashthamangal Ghrita
in Rats. Ind J Pharmacol,
June, 2002; 34: 194-197
5. Achliya GS, Wadodkar SG, Dorle AK. Evaluation
of CNS activity of Brahmi Ghrita.Ind
J Pharamcol, February, 2005; 37(1): 33-36
6. Achliya GS, Wadodkar SG, Dorle AK. Evaluation
of Sedative and Anticonvulsant activities of Unmadnashak
Ghrita. J. Ethno-pharmacology, January, 2004; 94 (1):
77-83
7. General
Guidelines for the methodologies on Research and Evaluation of Traditional
Medicine, WHO 2000; 7