Easy Ayurveda

Introduction

Ayurveda states that any substance can be used as medicine provided the doctor knows its usage and the utility of the substance matches with the patient’s disease.

Animal urines are grouped in Ayurveda as Mutra varga. It is a common thing to discard urine as a waste product of the body. It is to be understood that even urine can be therapeutically used to treat various diseases in proper dose, used along with other medicines or as an adjuvant. Various ayurvedic texts have advocated the use of urine of various animals for therapeutic use and for the purpose of shodhana (purification) based upon its quality and property.

8 types of urine

Acharya Charaka was the first scholar to mention about 8 types of urine which can be used properly in the 1^st chapter of the book ‘Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana’. These 8 types of urine are obtained from the following animals-

1. Gomutra – cow urine
2. Avimutra – Sheep urine
3. Ajamutra – goat urine
4. Mahisha mutra – buffalo urine
5. Hasti mutra – Elephant urine
6. Oshtra Mutra – camel urine
7. Haya Mutra – horse urine
8. Khara Mutra – donkey urine

Acharya Sushruta was the first scholar to include Nara mutra (human urine) under ‘Mutra varga’ apart from Acharya Charaka’s classification and other Acharyas have followed Sushruta.

Synonyms, Properties

Synonyms:
Gruhya Nishyanda, Prasraava, Sravana, Srava, Mehana, Mutra, Prasrava, Sracha

Properties of various Mutra:

The various ayurvedic classics have mentioned about the qualities and properties of different types of mutra.

Cow urine

Go Mutra – Cow urine
Taste – Pungent, Bitter
Qualities – Light
Potency – Hot
Vipaka (taste conversion after digestion) – Katu – pungent
Effect on Tridosha – Reduce kapha and vata, Increase pitta dosha
Read related: Cow urine therapy benefits, research, precautions

Sheep urine

Aja Mutra – sheep urine
Taste – Pungent, Bitter
Qualities – Strong,
Effect on Tridosha – Increase vata dosha

Goat urine

Avika Mutra – goat urine
Taste – Pungent, Bitter
Qualities – hot
Effect on Tridosha – decreases Vata.
Read related: Goat Urine Benefits, Usage As Per Ayurveda

Elephant urine

Gaja Mutra – elephant urine
Taste – Bitter,
Qualities – Strong
Effect on Tridosha- Decrease vata dosha

Horse urine

AshvaMutra – horse urine
Taste – Pungent, Bitter
Qualities – Strong, piercing
Effect on Tridosha- Decrease kapha dosha

Donkey urine

Khara Mutra – donkey urine
Taste – Bitter, Pungent
Qualities – Strong

Camel urine

Ushtra Mutra – Camel urine
Quality – dry
Effect on Tridosha – balances Kapha Dosha.

Human urine

Nara Mutra – human urine
Taste – pungent, sweet
Quality – light
Effect on Tridosha- Decrease kapha dosha

Buffalo urine

Mahishi Mutra – buffalo urine
Effect on Tridosha – Decrease vata dosha, Increases pitta dosha
The above given list gives an idea about the qualities of the various types of Mutra.

Out of the different types of urine mentioned in Ayurveda, Cow’s urine is considered as the best for therapeutic use and is used in the preparation of ayurvedic formulations like Panchagavya ghrita. It is also used in the shodhana (purification) of minerals in the field of rasashastra. The distillate of cow’s urine called as Gomutra arka is available in the market and is used extensively for therapeutic and agricultural benefit.

Chemical constituents

Chemical constituents of Cow’s urine:
Cow’s urine contains nearly 50 components, mainly being Nitrogen, Sulphur, Phosphates, Sodium, Potassium, Manganese, Carbolic acid, Iron, Calcium, Minerals, Chlorine, Magnesium, Vit. A,B, C,D and E.

Therapeutic uses

Therapeutic use of Mutra:

• ‘Panchagavya’ consisting of cow urine, cow dung, ghee, butter and cow milk is used as medicine to treat condition of epilepsy and pysco-somatic conditions.
• To treat the disease of gulma and shotha (anasarca) condition, cow urine is given as part of therapy in a dose of 25-30 ml.
• To treat wound, the bark of saptaparna tree, nimba, karanja tree is made into paste by rubbing with cow urine and applied over the wound.
• Intake of ‘Rasanjana’ prepared the decoction of Daruharidra along with cow urine is useful to treat skin disease.
• To treat condition of ascites, yava kshara (alkali) with cow urine is given as part of treatment.

Contraindications

Contraindication of Mutra in therapeutic use:
Person having hyperacidity and peptic ulcer can refrain from taking formulation containing Mutra as it may worsen the condition.

Author:
Dr.B.K.Prashanth M.D (Ayu), Ph.D
E mail: drprashanthbk@gmail.com
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