Use of Pregnant Cow Urine for Androgenic Alopecia in Medieval India

January 2018

Narayanan V. Bhattathiri, Gopalakrishnan Naduvattom, Priya Sreekumar

androgenic alopecia Indralupta pregnant cow urine virilizing substance Āyurvēda AGA Ayurveda

TLDR Medieval India used pregnant cow urine to treat hair loss.

The study conducted a semantic analysis of ancient texts to explore the treatment of Indralupta, an early term for androgenic alopecia (AGA), in medieval India. The research revealed that Āyurvēdic physicians recognized a virilizing substance in the body as the cause of Indralupta and used pregnant cow urine as a treatment, believing it contained antagonists to this substance. This aligns with modern understandings of AGA and its management, highlighting the scientific nature of Āyurvēda. The study also demonstrated that semantic analysis is an effective method for uncovering historical medical knowledge.

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Research cited in this study

2 / 2 results

research Androgenetic Alopecia: An Update

88 citations , January 2013 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology”

Minoxidil and finasteride effectively treat hair loss.

research Promising Therapies for Treating and Preventing Androgenic Alopecia

36 citations , June 2012 in “PubMed”

There are potential treatments for pattern baldness, but more research is needed to confirm their effectiveness.

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