Therapeutic Effect of Agnihotra Ash on Wound-Healing in Rabbits

Dr A.G. Mondkar, Grant Medical College, Bombay

An attempt was made to study the therapeutic use of Agnihotra ash against scabies in rabbits. Rabbits are quite often infected with scabies — marked by snow white crust formations on their nose, ear margins and skin. The infection then becomes systemic and the animal dies. Normally this sort of scabies is cured by daily application of benzyl benzoate and salicylic acid for about 6-8 days, depending upon the severity of the infection.

Fig. 3a. Before application 6/27/81

Fig. 3b. Crust fallen after one application 7/30/81

In one study, Agnihotra ash was homogenized with an equal volume of cow’s ghee* and applied over the infected area above the nostrils of a rabbit (Fig. 3a illustrates one such infected rabbit. Note the white crust formation on the nostrils and the ear margin). Agnihotra ash worked extremely well and the crust was detached on the third day of application-and that too with a single application. (Fig. 3b illustrates the area of application and the detached crust. The blackish portion demonstrates the remnants of the Agnihotra ash. Also note the tiny hair growing on the “cured” area.)

With benzyl benzoate and salicylic acid, it took five days for the crust to detach itself from the control rabbit. Another notable advantage of this was that the preparation was not irritating like benzyl benzoate or salicylic acid. The rabbits always lick that application because of irritation and the young ones die of poisoning. This risk could be avoided with Agnihotra ash.

These results promise a solution to microbial pollution by the performance of Agnihotra and ingestion of Agnihotra ash medicines.

* Ghee is clarified butter from cow’s milk used in the process of Agnihotra.