India’s Veterinary Ayurveda: Untapped Heritage for Global Animal Health

India’s ancient system of Paśu Āyurvēda (Veterinary Ayurveda) holds a vast, largely untapped reservoir of medical knowledge crucial for advancing animal health globally. This heritage is preserved in classical Sanskrit texts and voluminous manuscripts in regional languages, many of which remain untranslated and unpublished.[1,2] Accessing and validating this hidden formulary is vital not only for addressing critical challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but also for treating a broad spectrum of diseases across various animal species, particularly horses and cattle.[2,3] The Untapped Literary Heritage: The foundation of veterinary Ayurveda rests on texts such as the Śālihotra treatises and Jayadatta’s Aśvavaidyaka (800–1200 AD), a comprehensive text on horses that covers treatment, anatomy, and prognosis.[4,5] Critically, to date, no major classical text on horse diseases, including Aśvavaidyaka or Śālihotra, has been translated into Hindi or English.[1,6] In the early twentieth century AD, traditional practitioners, such as Yejella Shri Ramulu Chaudari (Abhinavasahadeva) of Andhra Pradesh, produced comprehensive works in regional languages like Telugu. Chaudari authored many systematic veterinary books covering various aspects of cattle and horses in an easily understandable local language.[7] These texts provide systematic descriptions of etiology, clinical findings, and thousands of Ayurvedic formulations, often correlating local dialectic disease names with their allopathic equivalents, providing a strong foundation for modern confirmation and research.[8,9] The scope of diseases covered in these texts demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of veterinary pathophysiology, classified often according to Ayurvedic principles of doṣa (Vāta, Pitta, Kapha) imbalances. Equine Health (Aśvāyurveda): Classical and regional equine texts, such as Aśvavaidyaka and Aśvaśāstracikitsā Prakāra, provide remedies for hundreds of conditions, many of which continue to pose ongoing challenges in modern veterinary practice. Some of these are as follows: Gastrointestinal and Metabolic Disorders: Equine Colic (Śūla) is classified into five types (e.g., Saubhikṣa, Vibandhavarti), with treatments detailed using herbal remedies and medicated enemas. Indigestion (Ajīrṇa) treatment typically includes fasting and the use of specific medications. Diseases involving obstipation (Udāvarta) are addressed through medicated enemas and remedies. Neurological and Musculoskeletal Ailments: Numerous Vāta-predominant diseases are described, correlating with modern neurological conditions. These include Cervical Spondylitis (Manyāstambha), Lockjaw (Hanugraha), Bell’s Palsy (Ardita), and various forms of seizure/convulsions (Ākṣepa, Mṛgajṛmbha). Utkarṇa, a condition similar to Stiff-Horse Syndrome or tetanus, is treated using oil massages, sudation therapies (Sveda karma), and herbal remedies. The treatments often rely on oleation (Sneha Prayoga) and fomentation to relieve musculoskeletal pain and swelling. Specialized Organ Systems: Chapters are dedicated to Eye Diseases (e.g., visual impairments, infections like Abhiṣyanda/conjunctivitis), Ear Diseases (including cleaning and medicated oil application), and Mouth Diseases (including gingivitis, dental issues, and tonsillitis). Wounds and Trauma: Detailed procedures exist for treating wounds and ulcers, categorized as internal (Doṣa-caused) or external (Āgantuja). Treatments include wound cleansing with medicated buttermilk or sour gruel, dusting with herbal powders, and applying oils to manage pus-filled sinuses. Prognosis and Preventive Care: The texts emphasize seasonal management (Ṛtucaryā), defining the aggravation periods of doṣas, and detailing fatal signs (Ariṣṭa) to guide treatment decisions. Cattle Health (Go-Āyurvēda): Regional texts from Andhra Pradesh, like those collected by the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage, offer detailed treatments for common cattle ailments: Gastrointestinal Diseases: These are major causes of discomfort and economic loss.[3] Extensive treatments are documented for Indigestion (Ajirti, Arava andirava),[10-14] Tympanites (abdominal distension or Hoven/Blown),[15-18] Grain Sickness (acidosis/grain poisoning, common in cattle and sheep),[19,20] Fardel-bound (stagnation of diet in the third stomach component),[20] and Colic (Kadupunoppi).[21,22,23] These remedies often utilize readily available ingredients, such as salt (lavaṇa), rock salt (saiṃdhava), dry ginger (śuṇṭhī), asafetida (hiṅgu), and various plant juices.[12,17] Infectious Diseases (Antuvyadhulu (Telugu)): Chaudari dedicated an exclusive book to infectious diseases of cattle, describing their causative organisms, transmission modes, latent periods, postmortem findings, and Ayurvedic treatments, alongside prevention through hygiene.[24] Calf Care and Postpartum: Exclusive Ayurvedic veterinary books exist on the care of calves (Vatsabhrityamu),[24] and Chaudari’s works cover postpartum diseases,[9] addressing the critical, delicate stages of early life and recovery.[8] The need for research and Development: The comprehensive nature of this traditional knowledge necessitates rigorous transcription and translation,[2] paving the way for the following outcomes: Pharmacopeial Advancement: Transcribing and translating unpublished manuscripts immediately enhances the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia and formulary.[2,25] for example, a critical review of the lexicon portion (Aśvavaidyakanighaṇṭu) of Aśvavaidyaka identified 174 drugs used in equine medicine, many with unique synonyms (like dvijayaṣṭikā for bhārṅgī or rātrināmikā for haridrā) that support the resolution of controversies in drug identification.[25]; Scientific Validation Scope: The derived formulations provide ample scope for preclinical and clinical studies.[2] The traditional methodologies employed by practitioners like Chaudari, who systematically correlated traditional and modern disease concepts, establish a strong framework for validating these claims[8]; Addressing AMR and Beyond: While AMR is a significant risk that necessitates modern veterinary science to look toward Ayurveda, the herbal, herbo-mineral, and animal byproduct formulations (such as milk, ghee, and dung) used in these texts offer non-antibiotic alternatives for a range of acute and chronic infections and complications.[3] In conclusion, India’s rich history of Paśu Āyurvēda, documented across untranslated Sanskrit epics and detailed regional formularies, offers a vital pathway to strengthen global veterinary practices. The systematic translation, transcription, and scientific validation of this traditional knowledge is paramount. This endeavor promises to yield effective, affordable, and readily available therapeutic options for livestock and equine health, providing robust answers to complex modern challenges ranging from widespread gastrointestinal distress to the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.