Another Patent Granted Over Medicinal Value of Cow’s Urine

First Publication Date: 24th June 2010.
 

A patent was granted to CSIR with respect to a composition useful for protecting and/or repairing DNA from oxidative damages. The value of cow’s urine has been emphasized in ancient Indian texts including the rig veda. Cow’s urine is known to not only have medicinal value but is also used to purify ayurvedic medicines. The patent granted to CSIR claims a composition for preventing and repairing damage to DNA due to oxidation. The patent abstract and the first claim has been provided hereunder for your reference:

United States Patent 7,718,360
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Composition (RCUD) for protecting and/or repairing DNA from oxidative damages and a method thereof
Abstract
A composition useful for protecting and/or repairing DNA from oxidative damages said composition comprising redistilled cow’s urine distillate (RCUD) having components benzoic acid, and hexanoic acid, with ammonia content of the composition ranging between 5-15 mg/L, and optionally along with anti-oxidants; and a method of protecting and/or repairing DNA from oxidative damages using composition of claim 1, said method comprising steps of estimating the amount of folded DNA in a sample, mixing the said composition to the said DNA either before or after the exposure of the DNA to the oxidatively DNA-damaging agent, and determining percentage folded DNA in the mixture showing protection and/or repair of DNA from oxidative damages.
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The invention claimed is:
1. An in vitro method of inhibiting oxidative damage to DNA of human polymorphonuclear cells from oxidative damage comprising: exposing human polymorphonuclear cells to a composition comprising approximately 60 .mu.l/ml of redistilled cow’s urine distillate (RCUD), wherein RCUD comprises benzoic acid; acetic acid-2 propenyl ester; acetic acid mercapto methyl ester; 2-butenedinitrile furanonitrile; propionic acid 2,2,3-trichloro; propionic acid-3-chloro; 2-pentenoic acid-3 methyl; iso valeric acid; butanoic acid, 3 hydroxy, ethyl, ether; benzoic acid, 4 methyl 2 trimethyl; acetic acid phenyl trimethylsilyl; propionic acid; Cinnamic acid; acetic acid mercapto; 1-H indole-3-ol-acetate; acetic acid phenyl ester; and quinoline, 3-methyl; wherein the composition has ammonia content ranging between 5 and 15 mg/l, wherein said RCUD is exposed to said human polymorphonuclear cells before or at the same time that said cells are exposed to a DNA damaging amount of H.sub.2O.sub.2.
The patent granted to CSIR is another example of the value of Indian traditional knowledge and the opportunities in developing the same towards public benefit. This is infact not the first patent based on cow’s urine. Patents were earlier granted to CSIR for its cancer treatment and so on. While it is important to prevent patents on existing traditional knowledge, it is also important to use it for developing drugs and other inventions that benefit the public as it has been done by CSIR in this case.
I would like to thank Sharada, Kartik, Vikram and Vishal for providing me useful information on this patent and other patents that form subject of my posts.
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