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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 11, No. 5
Publication Date: October 25, 2023
DOI:10.14738/aivp.115.15717
Kumar, S. K., Palai, S., Kumar, S., Magare, V., Mogale, U., & Gorhe, S. (2023). Can Pashu Ayurveda Address Antimicrobial Resistance
(AMR)? European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 11(5). 341-351.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Can Pashu Ayurveda Address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
Kumar, S. K.
The University of TransDisciplinary Health Sciences
and Technology (TDU)#74/2, Jaraka bande Kaval,
Attur post, Via Yelahanka, Bengaluru 560064
Santwana Palai
ORCID: 0000-0002-6461-9369
Department of Veterinary Pharmacology & Toxicology,
College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry,
Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology,
Bhubaneswar-751003, Odisha, India
Subrahmanya Kumar
The University of Trans Disciplinary Health Sciences
and Technology (TDU)#74/2, Jaraka bande Kaval,
Attur post, Via Yelahanka, Bengaluru 560064
Vijay Magare
Kolhapur Zilla Sahakari Dudh Utpadak Sangh Ltd., Kolhapur
(M.S.) B-1, MIDC, Gokul Shirgaon, Kolhapur 416 234
Udaykumar Mogale
Kolhapur Zilla Sahakari Dudh Utpadak Sangh Ltd.,Kolhapur
(M.S.) B-1, MIDC,Gokul Shirgaon, Kolhapur 416 234
Subhash Gorhe
Kolhapur Zilla Sahakari Dudh Utpadak Sangh Ltd.,Kolhapur
(M.S.) B-1, MIDC,Gokul Shirgaon, Kolhapur 416 234
ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial resistance is a chief hazard to human health around the globe.
Antimicrobial resistance is the foremost reason of death worldwide, with the most
severe consequences in low-resource settings. Overuse and misuse of
antimicrobials, disease incidence, mortality, length of stay in hospital and health- maintenance expenses all contribute significantly to antimicrobial resistance.
Cattle and buffaloes make for more than half of India's livestock population. They
are afflicted with a variety of contagious ailments. More than 80% of our dairy
producers are marginal and landless, and they cannot afford the pricey standard
antimicrobial treatment. Antimicrobials are medications that destroy or control
disease caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Antimicrobial resistance arises when bacteria evolve or acclimate themselves to
resist antimicrobial drugs making treatments unproductive. The use of Ayurvedic
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Veterinary Medicine can reduce the usage of medications, particularly antibiotics,
as well as their residues in milk, which will go a long way toward preventing the
establishment of antimicrobial resistance, a critical public health issue. Ayurvedic
Veterinary Medicine is an alternative treatment strategy that employs medicinal
plants and simple spices found in the home. It is a cost-effective, efficacious, and
farmer-friendly choice for managing common bovine ailments such that losses due
to these disorders are minimised, and at low costs. The NDDB has produced
pamphlets and video clips to promote the use of AVM for more than 20 diseases. To
popularise the concept across the country, intensive propagation activities are
being launched by the Department of AYUSH, DAHD, State AH Departments, Milk
Federations, Milk Unions, and others. Understanding the AMR burden and the most
often used pathogen-drug combinations is essential for making educated and
location-specific policy decisions. Development of microbiology laboratories,
public awareness, and increasing the use of Ayurvedic veterinary medicine may
pave the road to resolving this critical public health issue.
INTRODUCTION
Antimicrobial resistance is increasing as threat to both animal and human health. They are
among the most amazing feats of humanity. Antimicrobial medications, like antibiotics treating
bacterial infections, cleared the pathway for humans and animals to live in better conditions.
Minor incisions could cause bloodstream infections or death in the days before modern
medicine (Sjoberg et al., 2023). Now a days, antimicrobials had made it possible for animals and
humans to enjoy longer and better lives. Numerous life-saving medications, however, are losing
efficacy as formerly susceptible organisms (fungi, viruses, bacteria, and microscopic parasites)
are developing resistance. This is known as "antimicrobial resistance," or AMR. Because of a
lack of real therapeutic possibilities for effectively controlling, treating and preventing
infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance has caused the creation of "superbugs," that pose
a trial to health care employees, veterinary surgeons, and also animal health wage-earners.
Both animals and people are becoming powerless in combating sickness (Mohsin and Amin,
2023). Bacterial antimicrobial resistance arises when variations in bacteria allow antibiotics to
be not very effective has developed as gravest public health risks of the 21st century. As per the
UK Government-commissioned Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, it can cause demise of
more than 10 million people each year up to 2050. In spite of criticism of these facts, WHO and
many other organisations have recognised that spread of antimicrobial resistance is an
important matter that has to be addressed through a global, synchronized action plan (Helmy
et al., 2023). The exact data on the bacterial antimicrobial resistance burden drifts in diverse
portions of the world, and the main pathogen-drug groupings causing bacterial antimicrobial
resistance burden are to be addressed. If not regulated, the increase of AMR could make many
bacterial diseases much more hazardous than in existing conditions. Understanding the precise
load of resistance is an important task in the fight against AMR, particularly in areas with
limited scrutiny and data (Costanzo and Roviello, 2023). Nearly no complete estimates of local
and wide spread infections and drug combinations are published. For example, the US Centres
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2019 reported on AMR contagions and mortalities
in the United States for eighteen AMR intimidations based on surveillance data. The burden of
eight bacterial pathogens and 16 pathogen-drug combinations in the EU and European
Economic Area from 2007 to 2015 were estimated (Mestrovic et al. 2019). Similarly, the
multidrug resistance load in six bacterial pathogens was seen in Thailand in 2010 (Nithichanon
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Kumar, S. K., Palai, S., Kumar, S., Magare, V., Mogale, U., & Gorhe, S. (2023). Can Pashu Ayurveda Address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)? European
Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 11(5). 341-351.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.115.15717
et al. 2022). The occurrence of E. coli and K. pneumonia resistance against third-generation
cephalosporins and carbapenems was reported in 193 countries in 2014 (Temkin et al. 2018).
Though these papers enhance the corpus of knowledge on AMR, yet they are not sufficient
enough to assess the whole load of AMR and recognize the importance of pathogens variably.
Furthermore, current research has largely taken only AMR burden into account. If all drug
resistance were removed, drug-resistant contagions may be substituted by vulnerable or no
contaminations; hence, the burden must be calculated considering both counterfactual
situations. The first worldwide approximations of the problem of bacterial AMR should be
given, spanning various pathogens and pathogen-drug combinations and use of reliable
methodology for both contradicting scenarios (Özçelik, et al., 2022). Antimicrobial resistance is
surely the greatest public health issues now, reversing decades of progress and becoming main
cause of death worldwide. It is posing an increasing threat to animal, environment and human
health, as well as livings and nourishment safety around the world. For ensuring effectiveness
of the antimicrobials and protect the well-being and developmental gains since last 50 years,
antimicrobial resistance has to be controlled. As curbing antimicrobial resistance seems
daunting, this article will discuss the steps to defend it. The article will help aquatic and land
animal producers, farmers, animal health providers, health care workers, citizens, doctors,
veterinarians to understand this global situation and become aware to fight against this threat
to global health (Woods et al., 2023).
ISSUES AND REASON FOR AMR
The emergence of novel resistant bacterial strains in terrestrial and aquatic animals inexorably
increases animal suffering and losses. This, in turn, has an impact on livelihoods around the
world, as 1.3 billion people rely on cattle for a living, and over 20 million rely on aquaculture.
(Romanelli et al.). When antibiotics contaminate the soil and streams, resistant forms of
bacteria might arise. Then they can infect other animals and humans assessing them.
Furthermore, antibiotic-resistant bacteria from treated animals are found in dung and hence
spread into the atmosphere and then to wild flora and fauna. The responsible use of antibiotics,
as well as the right disposal of unused and expired medications, wastes from applicable
companies, guarantees keeping out of valuable pharmaceuticals from the environment thus
reducing danger of the emergence of resistance spreading bacteria (Sobsey et al., 2006). The
similar phenomenon is evident in human health, with antimicrobial resistance occurring as a
result of antibiotic abuse in humans. New resistant forms of bacteria are now threatening
hospitalised patients globally. Infections including Gonorrhoea, Metritis, Cystitis, Laryngitis
and infections associated with regular procedures like hip replacement are becoming more
difficult to treat in humans. Furthermore, the number of human deaths due to AMR originating
in animals, particularly through food-borne illnesses, remains unknown (Dadgostar, 2019).
Reason
There is a race going on between humans striving to heal illnesses and microorganisms like
bacteria that are developing to live. Antibiotics operate by mutilating bacteria or restricting
their growth that cause illness in humans as well as animals. They alleviate animal suffering
and death by curing diseases like Mastitis, Metritis, Endometritis of dairy cows, respiratory,
Gastro-intestinal, and urinary tract infections of dogs, and streptococcus infections of fish.
Bacteria are extremely adept in adapting to their habitats throughout time. Through random
genetic changes and the transmission of antimicrobial resistance traits, they may acquire genes
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that allow them to withstand treatments targeted to kill them. New resistant varieties can
thrive and spread as a result of natural selection. As a result, every time antibiotics are taken,
bacteria have an opportunity to evolve resistance (Sheldon et al. 2019).
LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
As antibiotics are vital in maintaining global health, its use cannot be stopped even though when
it is medically justified. The animal health and welfare are to be preserved. However, in
numerous conditions, antibiotics are misrepresented, unnecessarily making the circumstances
in which drug-resistance can arise. Like use of an antibiotic in treatment of cow’s viral infection
is not effective as antibiotics target against bacteria not viruses. Antibiotics can sometimes
abuse to stimulate growth in livestock. Antibiotic overuse and misuse produce more damage
than better. Only the use of these drugs responsibly in acute and necessary conditions can
decrease the pathogens’ probabilities of evolving resistance, and thus helping to defend the
health of animals, plants, humans as well as atmosphere (Heymann et al. 2015). According to
our predicted statistical models, there is a projected 362-657 million deaths related with
antimicrobial particularly bacterial resistance in 2019 accounting for 127 million. Regionally,
all-age death rate due to resistance is maximum in western Sub-Saharan Africa (209-353 deaths
per 1 00 000) and lowest in Australasia (439-94 deaths per 1 00 000). Lower respiratory
infections were accountable for over 15 million resistance associated deaths in 2019, making it
the costliest infection (Kwasi et al., 2023). The six foremost pathogens for deaths related with
resistance are Acinetobacter baumannii, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella
pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus which were responsible for
357 million antimicrobial resistance deaths. One pathogen-drug combination, methicillin- resistant S aureus triggered more than 100 000 AMR deaths in 2019, while six others like third- generation cephalosporin-resistant E coli, third-generation cephalosporin-resistant K
pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis,
carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii, and fluoroquinolones-resistant E coli caused 50 000-100
000 deaths (Yang et al. 2021).
World Bank Tackling AMR
Addressing AMR can be extremely cost-effective, with an annual return on investment of 88
percent. The World Bank is sponsoring 56 initiatives in 35 countries, drawing on decades of
experience. These investments are intended to enhance and develop agricultural, health, water,
and sanitation systems, all of that are crucial in averting an emergency along with resistance
spread. Through its funding and policy dialogue, the World Bank delivers technical assistance
and application provision to governments for AMR linked activities. Through studies, trainings,
seminars, and international gatherings, the World Bank also works with international
organisations, funders, and country associates to raise consciousness being empathetic of
crucial AMR concerns (Pal and Ireland. 2009).
Current World Bank Projects Tackling AMR:
Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement Project (REDISSE) Phase IV:
The objectives of the Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement (REDISSE) Project
in Central Africa, Phase IV are to (i) to strengthen national and regional cross-sectoral capacity
for collaborative disease surveillance and epidemic preparedness in the Participating
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Kumar, S. K., Palai, S., Kumar, S., Magare, V., Mogale, U., & Gorhe, S. (2023). Can Pashu Ayurveda Address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)? European
Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 11(5). 341-351.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.115.15717
Countries; and (ii) in the event of an Eligible Crisis or Emergency, to provide immediate and
effective response to said Eligible Crisis or Emergency
The Ethiopia Consolidated Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Account Project (ONE
WASH Phase II):
The proposed Project aims to build on this momentum to scale up interventions in sanitation
that directly link with this initiative and will be implemented in close collaboration with the
health and education sectors. It also aims to complement interventions of the National Nutrition
Plan and strategically align with the MoH’s Woreda Transformation Plan, of which improved
hygiene and sanitation form an integral pillar. Further, sustainable management of water
resources is key to improving agricultural productivity and mitigates the risk of negative
environmental externalities that have the potential of undermining poverty alleviation, shared
prosperity, and access to basic services.
Regional Sahel Pastoralism Support Project
To improve the resilience of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in selected areas in the Sahel
region.
Africa CDC Regional Investment Financing Project
The development objective of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Regional
Investment Financing Project is to support Africa CDC to strengthen continental and regional
infectious disease detection and response systems. This project has five components.
PASHU AYURVEDA DETAILS INCLUDING GAVAYURVEDA, HASTHYAURVEDA,
ASHWAYURVEDA
The historical Vedic literature, the Atharvaveda (IV, 9, 2) gives us the earliest information on
the art of caring for animals. It also gives immense knowledge of the preparation of remedies
to address the health issues in human as well as animals. Towards the end of the Vedic period,
Indian traditional medicine which evolved for human and animal health began to adopt an
empirical approach, which developed into a coherent system known as Ayurveda (Mazars G
1994). Classical Ayurvedic literature for animal care like Asvavaidyaka (treatment of horses) by
Jayadatta was even translated into Tibetan, Arabic and Persian languages. Several texts on
Pashu Ayurveda were lost during the course of time, but the surviving texts are concerned
mainly with the treatment of horses, cows and elephants. Traditional veterinary medicine
developed from the Ayurvedic model over the seven or eight centuries which preceded the
Common Era. It is also known from the inscriptions of Emperor Asoka during the 3rd century
BCE, this Buddhist sovereign opened hospitals for animals. (Schneider Ü. 1978). Further, over
the centuries, such specialized knowledge deteriorated and currently only a very limited
number of traditional practitioners and healers practice the ethnoveterinary and Pashu
Ayurveda. It is important to utilize India’s veterinary knowledge for contemporary dairy
production and for the reduction of antibiotic residues in animal products. The ethnoveterinary
knowledge from the communities validated through Pashu Ayurveda, the traditional science of
India, can address the current problem as alternatives to antibiotics in common ailments of
cattle. The ethnoveterinary and Pashu Ayurveda formulations are believed to be safe and
efficacious in the animals. The Government of India is currently promoting these knowledge
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practices through the Ministry of Animal husbandry and the Ministry of AYUSH. These practices
are also being documented, database and validated through national repositories.
GAPS
Antimicrobials are medications that destroy or control disease caused by microorganisms such
as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms
evolve or adapt to resist antimicrobials, rendering treatments ineffective. The overuse and
misuse of antimicrobial medications, particularly antibiotics with antibacterial activity, has
accelerated AMR in people and animals. AMR kills 700,000 people each year. Without
intervention, the death rate can grow to 0 million deaths per year by 2050, causing 3.8 percent
drop in GDP on yearly basis. The impact of AMR is determined by the incidence, mortality, and
hospital stay length and health-care expenses linked with various pathogen-drug combinations
in specific locales.
SCOPE OF PASHU AYURVEDA IN ADDRESSING THE GAPS
Based on our past community action research experiences over a decade, we propose that
alternatives to antimicrobials from ethnoveterinary practices and Pashu Ayurveda can
potentially play a pivotal role in addressing the global threat AMR.
Emerging Evidence Based on Pilot Action Research Studies
The ethnoveterinary and Pashu Ayurveda knowledge is effective to cure common ailments in
dairy cattle. The preliminary work done by Nair et al (2022) hinted the potential of
ethnoveterinary and Pashu Ayurveda based natural products as effective alternatives to
antibiotics in treating bovine diseases20.In other studies, a comparable cure rate for bovine
clinical mastitis using Ethnoveterinary herbal products (EVHP) was recorded by Punniamurthy
et al. (2017) and Nair et al. (2017). A high clinical cure rate of SCM and clinical mastitis with
EVHP probably indicates the effectiveness of this preparation in mastitis management caused
by a wide range of bacterial agents. The overarching goal of this article is to develop a safe,
sustainable, and profitable milk value chain with healthy animals and humans from a one health
perspective.
Pilot Study at Gokul Dairy-Kolhapur
The aim of this work was to detect antibiotic resistance pathogens isolated from milk samples
in clinical mastitis in cattle and its management by ethnoveterinary formulations. The main
objectives of the study are, Screening of animals for confirmation of mastitis by collecting milk
samples. Identification of antibacterial resistance pathogens in clinical mastitis. Intervening
with Ethnoveterinary formulation for antibacterial resistance pathogen in Mastitis and at last
to compare the efficacy of the formulations in pre and post interventions
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Screening of Animals for Clinical Mastitis by Collecting Milk Samples
The diagnosis of clinical mastitis is based on clinical findings. Then the milk samples will be
collected from diagnosed and confirmed cases clinical mastitis.
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Kumar, S. K., Palai, S., Kumar, S., Magare, V., Mogale, U., & Gorhe, S. (2023). Can Pashu Ayurveda Address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)? European
Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 11(5). 341-351.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.115.15717
Isolation of Bacteria from Milk Samples
Initially, the milk samples are inoculated into the nutrient broth (HiMedia, India) and incubated
at 37°C. On the next day, the growth is transferred into nutrient agar and MacConkey agar
(HiMedia, India). The convex glistening single colonies with greenish discoloration in nutrient
agar and the pink and pale colored colonies in MacConkey agar are isolated into nutrient agar
slant as a pure culture. All the pure cultures obtained from nutrient agar slant are subjected to
Gram-staining and standard biochemical tests as described earlier.
Antibiotic Sensitivity Test
All the bacterial isolates are tested in vitro for their sensitivity to different antibiotics commonly
used in veterinary practices. The antibiotic disks oxytetracycline, amikacin, gentamicin,
amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, amoxicillin sulbactam, ceftriaxone and sulbactam, ceftriaxone
and tazobactam, enrofloxacin, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime (HiMedia) are selected for the study.
Inclusion Criteria
• Cross breed
• First calving onwards
• Clinical mastitis/ chronic mastitis
Exclusion Criteria
• Native breeds
• Before 2 years
• after 6th calving
Sample Size
100 mastitis resistant animals
Administration of Ethnoveterinary Formulation
Clean the udder, remove all the milk from 4 quarters and apply the thin paste of
Ethnoveterinary formulation completely over the udder. Repeat the procedure for every 3
hours once (At least 5 to 6 times a day) for 7 days.
Parameters for Assessment
1. Clinical signs and symptoms such as edema, pain on touch, milk colour, consistency and
quantity of milk.
2. SCC, pH on 1st day, 5th day and 10th day of intervention
3. Sensitivity test for antibiotics on 0th and 10th day of intervention
Case Status No of animals Percentage of success
Cured 44 72%
Not cured 12 20%
Partially cured 4 7%
Sold 1 2%
Total 61 100%