The camel4life international is a group of camelists (scientists, academics, farmers, activists, businessmen, student, farmers, etc) advocating camel aspects, especially the milk. We are a major think tank of the camelids’ world. Time to time we have serious and hot debates as the salts requirements and tolerance, camel milk and its therapeutic potential, camel role in ecosystem management, etc. But now we have rather very serious, hot and complicated issue, the CAMEL URINE.
Is Camel Urine has Therapeutic Value?
This debate triggered with a message from Christina Adams sharing the link of an article; “New report on camelid-derived nanobodies being used to attach to skeletal and heart tissue, with their small size as an advantage. This may be beneficial in anesthesia and maybe other drug delivery mechanisms. I’ve written about the camelid advantage before and have discussed it with a few scientists but it was such a niche even for them. So this proof of concept may help shift the dialogue and investigation forward. Let’s hope”. https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/news/targeted-drug-delivery-systems-designed-from-llama-nanobodies-361553
Then Fatima Ramadan from Egypt responded as “This is excellent, there is research we are working on to extract nanoparticles from camel urine to treat cancer..on 🐀“
Then in less than a minute, there were many responses, yes and no. Some were arguing the cultural, the other religious, and research value of the camel urine. The debate turned hot and hotter. In the ensuing bullet paragraphs, I’m sharing the responses;
- Dr. Pierre from France; “In fact they dis not found anything….it is well known that antibodies of camlids look like Fab fragment with quite no constant part of igG. That make this antibodies very useful tools to target tumor marker when associates with chimiotherapic substances… It is not really nanoparticules but it IS classical to call them nanobodies. Normally, without pathology such antibodies do not pass the blood kidney barrier and have not to be present in urine in high concentrations”
- Kehkashan Qureshi India; Wow..in saudi Arabia Dr.khorshid fatan working on camel urine and Camel milk for treating cancer.there is a story i hv heard person suffering from intestinal cancer after surgery, again got intestinal cancer damaged the affected area but after following Camel milk n urine therapy he is fully recovered..but it must have documentation..it’s still not recognised…
- Ilse K.R from Rajasthan India; At Camel Charisma (www.camelcharisma.com), we get frequent requests for camel urine which we send out for free with milk orders. Mostly, they are from Muslim cancer patients, and there has been at least one spectacular recovery. Documentation will be out shortly
- Maurizio Italy; Anecdotal evidence is not scientific evidence
- Ilse reply; Anecdotal evidence eventually adds up. There is also scientific evidence of camel urine impacting cancer cell cultures. She shared this link; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874112005235
- Wanyama from Kenya; Quinine was once anecdotal https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1479546/
- Maurizio again; Camel urine seems certainly a good way to get Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever .
- Me; Many people believe camel urine is a therapy. The science has to prove. There are some findings and published. Dr Musab from Kuwait was once in group and tried to share his findings and opinion.
- Dr. Afaf, PROF at UAEU; There might be something good in the urine at the same time, urine can be toxic and a source of contamination. Urine is a product of liver metabolism of feed components to make them more water-soluble. This way bioactivity can be increased. So, because urine is “dirty” such onservations should not be dismissed but further researched
- Kehkashan Qureshi India; Yes definitely it is mentioned in Hadith.But it is one Of the treatment .not the only treatment for cancer. When you go through this statement there was some people who came to Madina and fell sick tried every option for the treatment but the environment of Madina not suited to them then we finally they tried camel milk and urine at certain doses for certain days till they fully recovered. Mostly whenever we heard stories they tried camel milk and urine only when there is no hope of treatment left so they tried.so here lot’s of factors matter.Maybe Arabian Camel is different by genetic or maybe they’re healthy camel.A scientist or researcher or an expert can better’explain…
- Dr. Pierre-guy Marrint France; Ok ok please stop this discussion about urine effect mixing cases reports, religions belief and scientific observations. We have heard and red and undestood the different point of views. Urine is, as previously wrote by another coleague a way to purify organismes of toxines or too concentrated compounds. By evidence urine would have different composition according to food quality and quantity and water disponibility. And could also drain toxines, bacteria or viruses and have at least as much beneficial than dangerous effects. We need works, tempting to identifiate bioactive compounds but it is a no end work according to breeds, foods and water quality…. Thé only proof IS to isolate and qualify these compounds after testing on representative models… Do not forgot also the Amazing power of autosuggestion well known on placebo effects. Périple close to death could have spontaneous recovery only due to the Hope to have found the panacea…
- Tumal, Gabarra camel community Kenya; I come from camel keeping Community- Gabbra. Milk/ blood are medicinal to our culture. I was camel milk fed up to age 15. I never heard in Gabbra History of camel Pastoralist taking “Urine” as medicine. It was in 1989, i a came across a visitor from town demanding camel Urine from expectant one, mixed it with milk & drunk. So let it be proved scientifically & it should be Indigenous Knowledge Practice+ Scientific= could be acceptable.
The topic is open for discussion
I wrote this post, composed of the debate. I invite you to take part in discussion. I wish we give our feedback and inputs. We should not go in personal hot argument but discuss with the scientific findings, traditional knowledge, cultural and religious philosophies. Please give your feedback in the comments box below.
16 replies on “Debate – Is camel urine worth a therapeutic value?”
Currently people are talking of Camels’ Urine is medicinal. This story is coming from Town center Muslims.
All these are subject to Study on Camel Urine.
Nice to hear from you. Yes, it needs further investigation and scientific backup. I’m sure, something good will come out of the whole process and debate. Best regards
I said this many many time before: anecdotal facts do not equate to scientific proven facts. Until a fact is scientifically verified the rational approach should be to maintain a healthy scepticism towards any claim of miraculous cure. Camel urine is an effective treatment for cancer ? Until this is unequivocally proven the statement cannot be considered to be valid. Anybody supporting the use of camel urine as a therapy should understand (and bear responsibility) that such action may cause the death of the person drinking camel urine. This because camel urine is capable to transmit the agents of severe diseases such as Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever and MERS ( https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/diseases/mers).
Yes but unless and until we don’t prove it scientifically wrong we can’t deny without valid scientific evidence.
Urine is the EXCRETED biological liquid containing potential TOXIC compounds (especially UREA). We cannot consider such biological liquid as MEDICINE. Probably, in camel fed with desert plant, it could be possible to find metabolites from those plants having some health effect, but regarding cancer, only very few results regarding tumor cell lines (in vitro) are available. There is no proof of effect in-vivo (unless a placebo effect). For me it is irresponsible as camel scientist to promote camel urine as a medicine for people affected by cancer or other diseases. However, clinical trials could be done if a clear protocole is used (double blind) and by using for example urease to destroy urea, the main toxic compound of urine.
Thanks for your very important feedback.
First, nobody on the group actually PROMOTED camel urine, only observations were made on its use by some cancer patients, based on the Hadith, and on on-going efforts to examine its effects in-vitro.
As there is anecdotal evidence of camel urine (in combination with camel milk) having desired effects, this is certainly an issue worth investigating scientifically, instead of rejecting it a priori.
We have to note that urine has traditionally been used for therapeutic purposes in many cultures, especially in India where cow-urine (gomutra) is widely marketed. Many people even drink their own urine, apparently without any ill effects, and one famous Indian actor professes to do this daily.
So far nobody knows what any therapeutic value could be due to. As suggested by Bernard Faye, certain metabolites from herbaceous forage may play a role. Therefore he researchers looking into the issue by means of scientific in-vitro studies should expand their tests to use urine obtained from camels with different known diets.
As per the danger of consumption of camel urine leading to Alkhorma Haemorrhagic Fever, I can find no scientific evidence, and refuse to accept a single obscure newspaper article as such. In fact, the CDC believes it is a tick-born disease.
Thanks for the feedback. I wish the people take part in this debate. I urge the researchers to please conduct sophisticated research on this topic and find out if the metabolites or whatever other molecules found in the camel urine can be of any help in human health. Research of any kind is not immoral and we should know the reality of the products like the urine of camels. At the group level, we never promoted camel urine and I personally can’t accept taking camel urine as a drink even if it is for the treatment. BUT we should search out the hidden molecules with sophisticated science. The Camel4Life International group advocates camel for life, especially food with more emphasis on camel milk.
Best regards
The current recommendations of the Center of Disease Control (CDC ) concerning MERS and Alkhurma hemorrhagic Fever Virus (AHFV) :
• Avoid drinking raw camel milk or raw camel urine
• ..people should avoid unprotected contact with the blood, FLUIDS, or tissues of any potentially infected or viremic animals.
Raw camel milk from a healthy camel is the best for sure. I shall not argue for consumption of the camel urine as I have no experience and still not many supporting references. The camel milk I have been using raw for 2 decades, is super healthy and health promising but yes, it much comes from healthy camels.
First, nobody on the group actually PROMOTED camel urine, only observations were made on its use by some cancer patients, based on the Hadith, and on on-going efforts to examine its effects in-vitro.
As there is anecdotal evidence of camel urine (in combination with camel milk) having desired effects, this is certainly an issue worth investigating scientifically, instead of rejecting it a priori.
We have to note that urine has traditionally been used for therapeutic purposes in many cultures, especially in India where cow-urine (gomutra) is widely marketed. Many people even drink their own urine, apparently without any ill effects, and one famous Indian actor professes to do this daily.
So far nobody knows what any therapeutic value could be due to. As suggested by Bernard Faye, certain metabolites from herbaceous forage may play a role. Therefore the researchers looking into the issue by means of scientific in-vitro studies should expand their tests to use urine obtained from camels with different known diets.
As per the danger of consumption of camel urine leading to Alkhorma Haemorrhagic Fever, I can find no scientific evidence, and refuse to accept a single obscure newspaper article as such. In fact, the CDC believes it is a tick-born disease.
The current recommendations of the Center of Disease Control (CDC ) concerning MERS and Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (AHFV) :
• Avoid drinking raw camel milk or raw camel urine
• ..people should avoid unprotected contact with the blood, FLUIDS, or tissues of any potentially infected or viremic animals.
From Barriereid, An ecologist and ethnovet from the UK working in Africa. Here is his response to the issue. Good afternoon Doctor. Interesting subject and not one that ever raised its head in either Mauritania, Mali, or Niger. It (camel urine) was taken seriously when watering stock with regards to the health of the animals, color, and smell. I suppose here in the UK it was used to process animal skins but not as far as I am aware in my region of experience. I will of course keep an eye out for upcoming comments and of course as ever, more research every time I receive one of your notifications. Take care Doctor.
Lilianne Donders 1st degree connection Independent Camel Breeder
Masqaţ, Oman
Yes, it definitely has, used it for 40 days and felt so much better, and it cleaned my liver. ❤❤
As we know the camel is a desert animals .
There he lives in desert and here camel eat such a plant or plant parts which contains anti-cancer compound that convert to active form in urine of the camel
34 year old man in Oman hospitalised in critical condition after contracting MERS-CoV.
World Health Organization recommendations to prevent MERS-CoV infection:
“Food hygiene practices should be observed. People should avoid drinking raw camel milk or camel urine or eating meat that has not been properly cooked”