Studies on the contributive effects of the different constituents of cow's urine concoction in rats (Part I).

The effects of cow's urine concoction (CUPR) and of the concoction in distilled water (CUPRw) were assessed on convulsion and the effects of each of the constituents in cow's urine or distilled water was also assessed. The basic procedure involved was observing for convulsion, the time of its occurrence and its duration, and time for recovery or death following the administration of the concoction and each of its constituents in distilled water or cow's urine. The results showed that the CUPR paradoxically induced convulsion while the CUPRw did not. Of the individual constituents (in either medium) tobacco gave appreciable results on the convulsion, thus suggesting that it is the active ingredient. In instances where convulsion was recorded, its onset and duration followed with or without death, is a function of the dose employed. The administration of cow's urine and some of the constituents alone produced no remarkable results, though when given in randomized combination some significant findings were recorded. It is suggested that the possibility of interaction between the various constituents is high and that there is a differential solubilization of the constituents in the media, thus bringing about qualitative and quantitative differences in the observations. The claim by the herbalists that the concoction is effective in eliminating convulsions is questionable as we observed that the concoction obtained from three different herbalists did not protect against strychnine-induced convulsion.