The curative use of camel products in history and heritage

The dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) thrives in hot, arid, and semi-arid desert habitats. Discover the use of camel products in the history and heritage of medical practices of ethnic groups from the Arabian Peninsula to India and in traditional African medicine.

ETHNOMEDICINE: The use of camel products in history and heritage of traditional medicine

Since its origin, humankind has relied on plant- and animal-based traditional medicine (ethnomedicine), for their health care. Ethnozoology or zootherapy deals with the interrelationship between humans and animals, especially the medicinal applications of animals.

Camelus dromedarius

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

Suborder: Tylopoda (pad-footed animals).

Genera: Camelus and Lama.

Genus Camelus comprises two species:

Camelus dromedarius (also known as the one-hump camel or Arabian camel)

Camelus bactrianus (also known as the two-hump camel or Bactrian camel).

ETHNOMEDICINE: The camel as Materia Medica

Camel medicines are used for therapeutic purposes most widely in Asia and Africa, since these locations are the largest camel habitats.

Medicinally, the products of camels have been used in the treatment of almost every imaginable disease by Arabic, Indian, Chinese, Greek and Roman physicians and in tribal medicine.

The use of preparations obtained from camels is suggested as a cure for ailments ranging from rheumatism to tuberculosis.

Researchers have begun to demonstrate the biological effects of camel milk and urine against cancer, diabetes, bacterial and fungal infections, liver diseases, and jaundice.

Camel milk has been utilized for centuries within traditional health systems among nomadic and desert communities to meet both nutritional and medical needs.

Camel milk

Camel milk is commonly consumed in Saudi Arabia and among Bedouin diets, especially during Ramadan, where dates are eaten to break the fast and are followed by camel milk for nourishment.

The milk of a camel increases libido and utilization of this mixture with wool for three consecutive days leads to pregnancy. The fine wool is used for injection. The burnt wool of camels is useful for prevention of bleeding.

Camel milk contains vitamins B2, B12, and C; linoleic acid, lactose, and extracts of aromatic plants that camels graze on such as rosemary and hyssop; these extracts act as are stimulant on the liver, as a hepatic.

Camel milk has distinct therapeutic benefits, such as anti-diabetic, anti-toxic, anti-viral, antibacterial, anti-rheumatoid arthritis, anticancer, and wound healing activities. The milk has been studied for various pharmacological properties:

antibacterial – prevent the growth or spread of bacteria;

antifungal – prevent the growth or spread of fungus;

antioxidant – molecules that fight free radicals in your body;

antihypoglycemic – reduces blood sugar, glucose;

anthelmintics – expels parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body; and wound healing activities.

immunomodulatory properties – induces, amplifies, attenuates, or prevents immune response;

anti-inflammatory – attenuate, or prevent inflammation, and

anti-hyperglycemic, anti-oxidant, and anti-hypertension properties of camel milk were also reported.

The healing power of camel milk

Camel Dairy and Milk Products

Camel milk has been a staple food of desert nomads for centuries. It is highly nutritious and rich in vitamins, minerals, and proteins that are essential for the human body. Here are some popular camel dairy and milk products:

Camel Milk: It is a creamy and slightly salty milk , it is suitable for people who are lactose intolerant as it contains less lactose than cow’s milk. Camel milk is also rich in vitamin C, iron, and calcium.

Camel Milk Cheese: Cheese made from camel milk has a tangy and unique flavor that distinguishes it from other types of cheese. It is high in protein and is a great alternative to cow’s milk cheese for those who are lactose intolerant.

Camel Milk Ice Cream: This creamy and rich dessert is made from camel milk and is a popular treat in some parts of the world. It has a unique taste that is less sweet than traditional ice cream and is also healthier as it contains less sugar and fat.

Camel Milk Powder: It is an excellent alternative to powdered cow’s milk for people who are lactose intolerant. Camel milk powder has a longer shelf life than fresh camel milk.

Camel Milk Chocolate: Chocolate made from camel milk has a smooth and creamy texture and a unique flavor that sets it apart from other types of chocolate. It is usually made with dark chocolate and has a higher cocoa content, making it healthier and more flavorful.

A combination of camel urine with milk is used for treatment of bile and coughing, cold, liver diseases, and jaundice and achieving consciousness.

Camel urine

Camel urine comes out as a thick syrup.

Camel’s urine has a pale yellow color when it is fresh and turn to dark yellow gradually and the taste is highly salty.

Laboratory tests indicate that camel’s urine contains high levels of potassium, albuminous proteins, and small amounts of uric acid, sodium and creatine. The analysis of camel’s urine showed the presence of calcium, magnesium, sodium, inorganic phosphorous, urea, uric acid and creatinine.

Norani, Ayatollah Mostafa. The Islamic Encyclopedia, holds that:

The camel urine is collected from Mecca pastures and mountains as a black and hard substance and some believe that it is the urine of bats collected from caves and other group believes that this substance is a plant mixed with camel urine.

Smelling camel urine is useful for the eyes and pouring it on the ear has relieving property, urine is also consumed for healing of wounds.

The mixture of wheat with camel urine causes unconsciousness and its urine is used for healing of asthma and earache and combination with lime juice strengthens eyesight.

A mixture of urine and honey is used for treatment of inflammation and wounds in animals and long term consumption is used with seed oil.

People in Yemen would dry camel faces and urine under the sun and compress it in the form of tablets to be utilized in case of burns and wet body injuries.

Nomadic tribes in eastern Sudan utilized the camel faces and urine for internal problems in general, but they also used it for malaria, ascites, dental problems and as a hair shampoo.

Studies show, that camel urine has anticancer and antiplatelet activity and Canavanine secreted in camel urine is a potent inhibitor of cancer cells.

The religious aspect of using camel urine stems from the fact that there has been convincing evidence that the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) suggested the use of camel urine to treat his companions who were suffering from abdominal pains.

Camel meat, fat and hump

The camel is called “jamal” in Arabic and its meat is hot and dry and red and it is salty and hard. It is consumed with salt and dill. Camel meat is hard to digest.

The amino acid and mineral contents of camel meat are often higher than other meat animals, probably due to lower intramuscular fat levels. Camel meat is low in fat and cholesterol in comparison to other red meat products and is considered as a remedy for fever, asthma and sciatica.

Historical sources show, camel meat was also a delicacy. Professor Daniel Newman holds the Chair of Arabic Studies at the University of Durham (UK) explains:

Greek authors spoke of camels being roasted whole at banquets at Persian courts, whereas Aristotle spoke highly of both camel meat and milk. The Roman emperor Heliogabalus (218-222) was allegedly a great eater of camel’s heel, a taste he probably acquired during his childhood in what is today Homs (Syria).

In Arabic culinary literature, the use of camel meat is only mentioned in what is considered the oldest (10th-century) Abbasid cookery book, which contains a number of camel recipes, known as jazūriyya, from the word jazūr, meaning a slaughtered camel (especially the female).

The meat (including the hump) is generally sliced up and cooked (stewed or roasted), whereas camel liver also appears as an ingredient.

There is also a recipe for a sour drink made from camel’s milk mixed with black pepper and galangal. The author recommended camel milk for liver aches and putrified humours, and its meat for individuals with weak stomachs.

Physicians were less favorable, however, and the great Galen stated that only people who were mentally and physically like a camel could eat it. Other scholars say, the meat of camel is harmful for melancholic individuals.

Camel meat was believed to also have other medicinal effects and was taken for

seasonal fever, sciatica and shoulder pain, as well as for removing freckles;

camel meat soup was used to cure corneal opacity and to strengthen eyesight;

Camel fat was used to ease hemorrhoid pains and the mixture of camel oil and eggplant is consumed for prevention of hemorrhoid and

the hump fat was used to remove tape worm; and is consumed for purgation of the womb and healing hemorrhoids, prevention of bleeding, and

dried camel lungs used to be prescribed as a cure for asthma, especially if taken with honey.

The liver of camel was used for the strengthening of the eye sight.

Traditionally in countries rearing camels, their meats were used as a remedy for the hyper acidity, hypertension, pneumonia, respiratory disease and as aphrodisiac.

Camel meat is tonic, heals jaundice and some diseases and eliminates fever. It is said that the meat of young camels is hot and dry, and it is used with ginger and its fat is used for prevention of entering snakes’ homes. The meat of camel is used for nutrition purposes and the healing of knee diseases.

Camel hump’s fats

There are many benefits of fat extracted from the camel hump on the human body:

Eating a spoonful of camel’s hump twice a day will clean the human gut from the worms.

Camel oil is the best moisturizer for human skin, especially in dry and cold weather.

Traditionally, it has been used for childbirth difficulties in women among the nomadic people.

The Camel hump’s fat is crushed and tied to the abdomen of the woman after childbirth. It helps in strengthening the abdominal muscles and prevents the sagging of the abdomen.

If massaged with the Camel hump’s fat oil, the pain in the hands, neck, legs, and vertebral area will evaporate.

Treatment of joint pain and rheumatism, in addition to muscle tension, because it works to relax and get rid of spasms in general.

Application of Camel hump’s fat oil on the skin prevents sunburn and darkening of the skin from the sunshine.

Increasing libido in men, as it increases erection and sexual desire both by eating Camel hump fat/oil and applying it on the organ directly.

Treating respiratory infections, specifically asthma, by eating it on an empty stomach for a few days (one spoonful of Camel hump fat oil)

Treating cracking and dryness problems in the feet, especially the heels and ankle area

Camel hump fat oil is one of the natural remedies for different hair problems because it nourishes the hair from the roots to the ends, and increases hair density and softness, in addition to treating the problems of baldness, specifically in men. Massaging the hair with Camel hump fat oil twice during the week, half an hour before showering.

Studies have shown that camel meat and Camel hump’s fat can be used as a cure for cold and sciatica, stroke, cancer, and infections, especially among seniors, because this meat can safeguard muscle health.

Camel Meat for South West Asian and North African palates

Camel meat is a popular delicacy, the texture and flavor is similar to that of beef, but with a slightly sweeter taste. It is particularly popular among nomadic tribes and rural communities, where it is seen as a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

Muslims from all over the world gather in Mecca to perform various acts of worship.

One of them is the sacrifice of a camel, known as Qurban or Udhiyah, during Eid al-Adha عيد الأضحى or العيد الكبير Eid-al-Kabir festival.

Most of the camel meat will be distributed to poor and needy people in the area, and the family will keep part of the meat for their own use. The feast is shared by Muslims throughout the Muslim world.

Here are some of the ways camel meat is consumed in various cultures:

Kebabs: In many SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) countries, camel meat is often served as grilled kebabs, seasoned with spices and served with flatbread and fresh vegetables.

Tajin, or Tagine: is a traditional dish primarily used in Morocco and other parts of North Africa as part of the Berber and Saharan culinary tradition. It typically consists of tenderized camel meat slow-cooked with ingredients like prunes, raisins, potatoes, and various spices.

Stews: In Africa, camel meat is often slow-cooked in stews, along with vegetables and spices. The resulting dish is hearty and flavorful, perfect for warming up on a cold evening. Camel Margooga is a thick, comforting camel stew eaten with flatbread and vegetables.

Majboos/Kapsa: Spiced rice dishes with slow-cooked camel meat.

Biryani: In India and Pakistan, camel meat is sometimes used in the famous rice dish, biryani. The meat is cooked with fragrant spices, mixed with rice, and served with raita, a yogurt-based salad.

Stir-fried: Camel Meat with Celery, Scallions Wood, Ear Mushrooms with spices. Stir-frying is easily the most common method to prepare food in China, marinating the camel first in oil and salt.

Burgers and Dumplings: Camel meat can also be used to make burgers, either by itself or mixed with beef or lamb. The resulting burger is leaner than beef or lamb, with a rich, meaty flavor.

Steaks: In some South West Asia and North African countries, camel meat is served as steak, seasoned with spices like cumin and coriander and grilled or pan-fried to perfection.

The meat is also served during special occasions like weddings and festivals. Despite its popularity, it may be difficult to find in other regions of the world, as camel farms are not common outside these regions. In Australia, the National Heart Foundation has endorsed camel meat.

Camel in medicinal practices of ethnic communities of Africa and Arabia

Although revered and protected by the taboos of some tribal groups, during its long association with the people of the desert, every camel part is used as food and in traditional medicine.

Pastoralists have indigenous knowledge of treating their animals and themselves. Due to the fact that they are living in the periphery and in a very remote area where social services are scarce or even absent, pastoralists depend on traditional remedies. Foam from the camel’s mouth is used as medicine, also milk, meat and urine are among the materials used as traditional medicines.

Milk is often the most important camel product and is the staple food of nomads, who can live on camel milk alone for almost a month.

According to FAO, in sub-Saharan Africa, camels contribute about 8 percent of total milk production. Kenya is the largest camel milk producer in the world, followed by Somalia and Pakistan. Dromedary milk is slightly saltier than cow milk.

It can contain on average eight times more vitamin C than cow milk, representing an alternative source of this important micronutrient for people living in arid and semi-arid areas, who often cannot obtain vitamin C from fruits and vegetables. 

Bedouin folk medicinal uses of camels

The folk-medicine use of camel milk and urine was reported in the pre-Islamic era, and it appears in various written Islamic sources.

The camel owners in the desert gave patients suffering from internal ailments a mixture of camel urine and milk as a morning drink. For all these uses, the urine had to be fresh from a young she-camel.

Milk was added to overcome its strong odor and bitterness. The duration of this kind of folk medical treatment lasted a few weeks, after which the patients were declared as healthy again.

For the Bedouin people, camel urine remains an important natural remedy for different health problems.

Bedouins treat many diseases and disorders with camel milk. This range from osteoporosis, rickets, hepatitis, digestive ulcers and disorders, spleen problems, tuberculosis, asthma, flu, and other respiratory diseases to controlling heartbeat, hypertension and diabetes.

Pastoral nomadic Bedouin tribes in South West Asia and North Africa, do not boil camel milk before it is drunk. One female camel can produce between one and seven liters of milk a day. The better the pasture, the more milk they give. Fertile female camels produce milk for twelve months.

The freshly obtained milk has a salty taste when the camels graze on salty vegetation. The milk is either drunk immediately or any remaining milk is poured into a leather bag (sheepskin or goatskin).

The Rwala Bedu do not churn camel’s milk. If they have too much, they boil it and from the curds make small cheeses which are eaten either dry or stewed with bread. The milk is used either fresh (termed halib), or soured for longer preservation (called laban). The latter is made by pouring the fresh milk into a leather bag for the purpose, where the requisite inoculants for controlled souring are maintained.

Some plants on which camels graze tend to scent or flavor their milk. Camel milk is low in separable fat, but a form of butter called jbab, is sometimes made from it, as well as a cheese called igt produced by extending the souring process.

Camel milk may also be mixed with well water that is too saline for human consumption, to make a mixture (shanin) in which the salts are diluted to a drinkable level. The Bedouin consume both camel meat and milk as a basic source of nutrition for the family.

Camel milk contains a higher level of vitamin C, protein, and mineral content than either cow or goat milk. Milk, also, replaces to a great extent the water Bedouin would otherwise need to quench their thirst.

Some Bedouin slaughter a she-camel’s calf so that their children can live off the mother’s milk, and if the she-camel doesn’t spontaneously yield suficient milk, they bring her the calf of another she-camel so that the nursing calf will stimulate increased milk flow.

Sometimes, three to four she-camels are gathered together with one calf to increase their flow of milk. When the calf is not slaughtered, they reserve part of the milk for the calf, leaving one side of the udder to it and milking the other side to provide milk for their own children.

The composition of the milk and its attributes, however, hinge on the camel’s age, quality, and the nature of the food it consumes (including availability of pasture) and availability of water – the best quality being the milk of young camels during the first 40 days after the birth of their calf. The composition of pasture plants impact on their medicinal effects.

Among the Bedouin in the Negev it is customary for the midwife to hide the umbilical cord under the supporting pole of the tent (wasit al-bayt ) or in the tent lining (btanit al-bayt) to symbolize the baby’s ongoing loyalty to his family.

One old informant (a woman, related to the author) revealed that she hung her son’s umbilical cord on the neck of a she-camel (naqa) to symbolize his connection to camels; indeed, when he grew up he loved tending camels and was even nicknamed “father of the she-camels” abu al-niaq.

Somali folk medicinal uses of camels

In Somali traditional medicine, camel milk is believed to have exceptional healing properties – it is widely used and readily available throughout the country.

According to Somali traditional medicine, camel milk is thought to have a cooling effect on the body and is used to aid in digestion, alleviate joint pain, and promote overall health.

Camel milk is considered to be very nourishing and is used in Somali medicine to treat malnutrition, especially in children. It is believed that a diet rich in camel milk can improve a person’s immune system and overall health.

Studies have shown that the consumption of camel milk can be used to combat malnutrition and has been used to treat and prevent diarrhea, especially in children.

In addition to its medicinal properties, camel milk is also a part of various cultural and religious practices. It is believed to be a symbol of purity and is used during religious ceremonies. For example, the camel plays a significant role in the Islamic holiday of Eid-al-Adha. During this holiday, families slaughter a camel and use its milk and meat as part of their celebration.

Masai folk medicinal uses of camels

The Masai people of East Africa have been nomadic herders for centuries, and they have relied heavily on camel milk as a source of sustenance and medicine. Camel milk is considered a cure-all in Masai medicine, and it is used to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions, including:

The Masai people consider camel milk to help to fight infections and strengthen the immune system. It is also believed to be effective in treating both internal and external wounds.

Many Masai families keep herds of camels, the milk is fermented to create a traditional drink called “suusa.”

Tuareg folk medicinal uses of camels

The Tuareg, also known as “the blue people” for their indigo-dyed clothing, are a nomadic tribe of the Saharan desert spanning across North and West Africa.

Tuareg healers, known as “griots,” are responsible for preserving the tribe’s history, culture, and healing practices. They use a combination of herbal remedies, amulets, and camel milk to treat illnesses.

The Tuareg also believe that camel milk has purifying and detoxifying effects on the body. It is often used in conjunction with herbal remedies to treat a wide range of ailments, including infectious diseases and skin disorders.

In Tuareg medicine, camel milk is mixed with honey for respiratory problems and given to solve malnutrition. Despite the Tuareg’s reliance on traditional medicine, modern healthcare is becoming increasingly accessible to the tribe. However, the use of camel milk in medicinal practices remains prevalent.

It is important to note that the Tuareg’s use of camel milk in their traditional medicine is not unique to their culture.

In Sudan camel milk together with garden rocket or arugula (Eruca sativa) are used traditionally to improve impaired liver functions.

Camel milk is used in Kazakhstan as an adjunct to chemotherapy for some cancers of the digestive tract.

The Marri tribe in Balochistan, Pakistan do not slaughter camels for meat production. If an animal not fit for work or sale, it is slaughtered, and the meat is distributed in the families of the community free of cost. The other occasion for camel slaughtering is Sadqa (Khairath), in which the camel is sacrificed in the name of Allahﷻ and the meat is distributed free of cost in the community.

People believe that camel meat also has medicinal value; it decreases backache, and bone pains.

The hump fat is used for the treatment of infertility in women, the hump fat is crushed and tied at the lower abdomen of the infertile women.

The hump fat is boiled and applied on the udder for the treatment of mastitis in cows and small ruminants. The meat of an old camel is boiled and used as an anthelmentics in small ruminants.

Some nomads use camel milk for those who have been stung by a scorpion or those who have been bitten by a snake.

Many tribes and societies throughout Africa and South West Asia have incorporated camel milk, urine and flesh into their healing practices for centuries.

As with many traditional remedies, the efficacy of camel milk in treating illnesses has not been extensively researched. However, its potentially beneficial properties have garnered increased interest from the scientific community in recent years.

Sumerians loved camel milk

The Old Babylonian period is provided by a Sumerian literary text with mention of the camel’s (a m.si.ar.r a . an) milk. This Sumerian love song in which Inanna addresses Dumuzi . The larger context reads as follows (lines 18–27, abbreviated):

“Make the milk yellow for me, my bridegroom … O my bridegroom,

may I drink milk with you, with goat milk from the sheepfold …

fill the holy butter churn …

O Dumuzi, make the milk of the camel

[am.si .ar.ra . a n ]

yellow for me – the camel [am.si . a r .ra.an],

its milk is sweet … Its butter-milk, which is sweet, make yellow for me … ”

In Sumerian mythology, Dumuzi is the son of Duttur, the divine mother sheep.

Dumuzi (known also in West-Semitic sources as Tammuz), with his surname or title Sipad “shepherd”, appears as the lord of the shepherds and flocks. He is the god in charge of domesticated herd animals in the Sumerian pantheon.

Inanna (later known in Akkadian sources as Ishtar), the mother goddess of fertility, requests churned camel’s milk as well as goat’s milk.

Both are described as pleasant and “sweet.”

Camel’s milk is either drunk fresh or soured, and extensive churning will result in butter and buttermilk.

Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM)

Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) or Persian medicine is one of the oldest comprehensive traditional medicines with thousands years’ history which has been founded by leading scientists from countries like Greece, Egypt, India, and China.

Persian medicine is also called temperamental medicine.
Temperament meant the dominant quality of the composite objects, and it was made of the interaction of four basic elements (hot, cold, wet, and dry).

Persian physicians, such as Zakariya al-Razi (864 A.D.-930 A.D.), Avicenna (980 A.D.-1037 A.D.), Seyed Esmail Jorjani (1042 A.D.-1137 A.D.), and others saw nutrition and diet as one of the major principles for health.

The use of camel-derived products was part of a larger, well-documented system of zootherapy (healing with animals) in the medieval Levant or Al Sham and surrounding regions.

Generally in Iranian traditional medicine, every milk has three components: water, fat and cheese components. Compared to other milks, camel milk has the most water component and the lowest fat and cheese components.
The mechanisms of the effect of camel milk on asthma treatment are mentioned only in some Iranian traditional texts while in most references, only the usefulness of camel milk, without its mechanisms of action, is mentioned in the treatment of asthma.

Avicenna believed that camel milk is more compatible than other milk for humans.

Based on Persian medicine literature, there are various therapeutic protocols for treatment of renal weakness. Camel milk is considered a unique treatment as a kidney tonic in TPM .

Camel milk in combination with Tarangabin (manna of Alhagi maurorum) is very useful in the treatment of kidney weakness, a laxative, detergent, cough reliever, thirst quencher, antipyretic, antiemetic, and body warmer (Ibn al-Baytar, Razi,).

It seems that, according to a medicinal study, this preparation improves renal function in patients by regulating glucose and anti-inflammatory, laxative, and immunostimulatory properties.

The efficacy of camel milk on diabetes and its complications was presented in numerous studies. In patients with diabetic nephropathy, the effect of camel milk was observed in terms of reduction of albuminuria, and these patients also showed better blood sugar control.

Camel milk reduces oxidative damage in the liver and kidney tissue in animal samples treated with aluminum chloride.

Ibn Sina or Avicenna

Another source for the medicinal use of camels dates back to the time of the famous Persian scholar ابن سینا Ibn Sina or Avicenna (980–1037), author of the book Al-Qānūn or The Canon of Medicine, where he reports

In his discussions on treatment for specific ailments, such as hard swelling, he recommended the topical use of camel bone marrow.

Ibn Sina noted that urine from specific, high-quality, or properly fed camels (often referred to in the context of Najib or superior camels) was more effective for medicinal purposes.

The old name of urine in Arab history is wazr, and in pure Arabic is bawl. It was used as a treatment for women’s hair, for stomach pain (mixed with milk), for gums and toothache, eye infections, skin injuries and infections, snake bites, camel mange, for pregnant women, liver tumour, to assuage thirst and hunger and to wake up a drunk man.

Physicians like Ibn Sina (Avicenna) advised

camel’s milk in the treatment of asthma;

camel dung for removing scars and warts, pimples, and ulcers, and for swollen joint pains;

camel urine for dandruff;

camel’s brain with vinegar against epilepsy;

camel’s fat for convulsions; and

fumigation of a camel’s hump to relieve hemorrhoids.

Ibn Bakthishu’ (11th c.) suggested drinking camel’s brain cooked in rainwater in order to combat pains resulting from coldness.

Ibn Jazla (12th century), for his part, recommended camel blood against epilepsy, and also includes what is probably the most unusual medicine involving camels; a drink made with dried and crushed camel’s testicles against adder bites.

Islamic prophetic medicine (tibb al-nabawi)

Al-Bukhārī

The curative effects of camel milk and urine were mentioned by the Islamic scholar Al-Bukhārī (810-870) أبو عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل بن إبرهيم الجعفي البخاري.

In his hadīth-collection (The Hadiths are collections of sayings and acts of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺgathered and written down during the 8th and 9th centuries) called as-Sahīh, it stated that some people arrived in the Madinah area and fell sick because of the climate.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told them to drink the milk and urine of camels, after which they recovered and were as healthy as before.

Al-Bukhārī, no. 28552

Ancient Greek and Roman medicine

Ancient Greek and Roman medicine utilized various parts of the camel, particularly in regions where they interacted with Eastern cultures or North Africa, as camels were not native to the Mediterranean heartland. Knowledge of camel medicinal products was largely adopted from older Egyptian, Persian, and Near Eastern traditions.

Pliny the Elder

Pliny the Elder, in Natural History Book 28, Chapter 26, details ten remedies derived from the camel recognized by Greek and Roman practitioners.

A camel’s brains, dried and taken in vinegar, are a cure, they say, for epilepsy: the same, too, with the gall, taken with honey; which is a remedy also for quinsy [angina or sore throat].

A camel’s tail dried it is said, is productive of diarrhea, and the ashes of burnt camel’s dung, mixed with oil, make the hair curl. These ashes, applied topically, are very useful for dysentery, as also taken as a drink, the proper dose being a pinch of three fingers at a time; they are curative also of epilepsy.

Camel’s urine, it is said, is very useful to fullers [Roman craftsmen who cleaned, thickened, and whitened wool garments and togas. They used urine for its ammonia content, which effectively removed grease and dirt, and brightened fabrics.], and is good for the cure of running sores. Barbarous nations[sic!], we are told, are in the habit of keeping it till it is five years old, and then taking it as a purgative, in doses of one semisextarius [0.5 liters or approx. 0.27–0.3 liters in some modern estimates].

Greco-Roman classical medical records have also mentioned that urine was used as a diagnostic tool and in therapy. The practice is based on empirical knowledge handed down through generations, with meticulous records preserving observations of the beneficial effects of camel urine.

The hairs of the tail, it is said, plaited and attached to the left arm, are a cure for quartan fevers [malaria].

Pliny has omitted the milk of the camel, which, according to Tavernier, is an excellent cure for dropsy [edema].

Camel in Indian Ayurveda

Ayurveda is the traditional medical science of India, literally meaning ‘Science of Life’, combining the two words, ‘Ayu’ meaning life and ‘Veda’ meaning knowledge.

This science treats four domains of life, such as the soul, the mind, the body, and the senses through a holistic approach.

Ayurveda makes extensive use of animal products in different formulations used for preventive and curative medicine. The Sutras and other classical texts make varied use of milk, curds, ghee, urine, bile, feces, horns etc. from different animals.

Ushtra – Camel meat

The meat of these animals is part of the maṃsavarga (‘group of flesh’), which is used in Ayurveda. As per Bhojana Kutuhala the camel meat is cooling, it alleviates three doshas, promotes strength and nourishment, improves taste perception, is sweet in taste and increases semen.

Camel meat is believed by Somali and Indian people to have remedial effects for different health disorders as hyperacidity, hypertension, or pneumonia.

Ushtra Mutra – Camel urine

• Quality – dry
• Effect on Tridosha – balances Kapha Dosha.

In the Caraka-Samhita, the urine of a Camel or Ustra in Sanskrit, has been mentioned to be slightly bitter and has been indicated for the remedy of hiccups, cough and in complaints of piles.

In Yogacandrikā, the urine of Camel is referred to having remedial effects in various abdominal ailments.

Furthermore, the urine of Camel has been prescribed to alleviate the condition of inflammation/edema, as per Kasyapa Samhitā.

Discussion about therapeutic properties of Ushtra- mutra-

सितं ासकासनमशनं चौmमुCयते|| (C.S.Su.1/103b)||

शोफकुUोदरो-मादमा/तिRिमनाशनम् | अशनं कारभं मूVं …
……………..|(S.S.Su.45/103b)
The urine of a camel is bitter; and it alleviates shvasa (dyspnoea), kasa (bronchitis) and piles.
Camel’s urine alleviates edema, kushtha, udararoga, insanity, vata, worm infestation and piles.

Here tikta rasa is dipana and pachana property (ितो रसः
………..िवषनः कृिमनो ………………..दीपनः पाचनः
………IलेदमेदोवसाPgजलसीकापूय(वेदमूVपुरीषिपB:ेमोपशोषणो………….।
(च.सू.२६/४३)) that accounts for an increase in the digestive power.

Camel urine increases the appetite and purification of body channels.

Ushtra ksheera – Camel milk benefits

ोणं ीरमुीणामीषसलवणं लघु|
शतं वातकफानाहििमशोफोदराशसाम्||२२०||
rūkṣoṣṇaṃ kṣīramuṣṭrīṇāmīṣatsalavaṇaṃ laghu|
śastaṃ vātakaphānāhakrimiśophodarārśasām||220||

– Charaka Sutrasthana 27
Milk of the camel is:

Useful in:

Anaha (bloating, constipation),
Krimi – parasitic infection,
Shopha – edema, inammatory conditions,
Udara – ascites,
Arsha – hemorrhoids, piles and other diseases due to the vitiation of Vata and Kapha.

As per Ashtanga Hrudaya Sutrasthana 5, Ushtra ksheera (milk of camel)- is
Ishat ruksha – slightly dry
ushna – hot
Lavana – salty taste
Deepana – increases digestion strength
Laghu – easy to digest
Vatakaphaan shastam – useful in Vata and Kapha
Krumi – relieves worm infestation
Shopha – anti-inflammatory
Udara – useful in ascites
Arshas – hemorrhoids.

Ayurvedic medicines based on camel milk

An Ayurvedic medicine called Kankayana Vati is given along with Camel milk to treat excessive menstrual bleeding.

In the treatment of Shotha – inflammatory disorders – The patient should avoid taking food (cereals) and water, but take only camel milk either for a week or for a month [depending upon the strength of the patient and the stage of the disease]

– Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana 12th chapter.

Camel milk for ascites: Charaka Chikitsa sthana 13
शोफानाहाततृमूछा पीडते कारभं पयः||१०७||
शुानां ामदेहानां गयं छागं समािहषम्|
śophānāhārtitṛṇmūrcchā pīḍite kārabhaṃ payaḥ||107||
śuddhānāṃ kṣāmadehānāṃ gavyaṃ chāgaṃ samāhiṣam|

If the patient of Udara (ascites) is suffering from oedema, Anaha (bloating, abdominal distension because of wind), pain, thirst and fainting, then camel milk is useful. After administration of Panchakarma treatment, when it has become emaciated, cow milk,
goats’ milk and buffalo milk are useful [ 107 ½ – ½ 108

Camel milk as nasal drops – Nasya:
नारी पयः सशकरमु्या अिप नयिमुरसः||३३||

– Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana 22nd chapter.
Camel milk mixed with sugar or sugar cane juice is used for Nasya (inhalation therapy).

Camel urine is bitter, it alleviates Shwasa (dyspnoea, asthma), Kasa (bronchitis, cough) and piles.
Continuous camel riding is mentioned as a reason for hemorrhoids.
Camel meat increases the muscles of the body, ideally suited for persons suffering from long standing hemorrhoids and duodenal disease

In India, camel’s milk is used therapeutically against dropsy, jaundice, problems of the spleen, tuberculosis, asthma, anemia, piles and diabetes.

A beneficial role of raw camel’s milk in chronic pulmonary tuberculosis patients has been observed. In repeated trials, it was observed that there was 30-35% reduction in daily doses of insulin in patients of type 1 diabetes receiving raw camel’s milk.

Camel Ghrita

Ghee is originated from the Sanskrit ‘Ghrita’. It is known as Neyi, Nai (South India), Roghan (Persian) and butterfat, clarified butter, dehydrated butter (English). Ghee can be defined as almost anhydrous milk fat.

Sushruta talks about the medicinal uses of ghee.

“Ghrita (ghee) is sweet, mild in action, soft, cold in potency (Virya), not increasing moisture in the tissues, lubricating, relieves upward movement in the alimentary tract, insanity, epilepsy, colic, and distension of the abdomen, mitigates Vata and pitta, kindles agni, increases memory, wisdom, intelligence, complexion, voice, beauty, the softness of the body, vitality, vigour, strength, and span of life; is an aphrodisiac, good for vision, increases Kapha, wards off sins and inauspiciousness, destroys poisons and demons.”

He further elaborates on the properties and applications of ghees obtained from the various types of animal milk, including human, elephant and camel milk. According to Stushruta, Sushruta Samhita. Vol. 1 ghee from cow’s milk is superior for all ailments. The cow is sacred in Hinduism and so are her products.

Traditional Chinese Medicine TCM

TCM uses mostly the Bactrian and the Wild Bactrian Camel distributed in southeastern Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, and Inner Mongolia.

Camel milk has been considered as a medicinal food to treat cough by Uyghur and Kazakh people living in Xinjiang of China due to its rich nutritional value. According to Kazakh Medical Record, camel milk has the functions of calming, nourishing yin, and detoxifying, which can restore the weak body after various diseases.

According to the Common Medicinal Record in Uyghur Medicine, camel milk is used as a tonic and remedy of excessive eating.

Li Shizhen’s 李时珍monumental pharmaceutical encyclopedia Bencao Gangmu 本草綱目(Systematic Materia Medica) contains entries on 1892 medicinal substances and 1109 illustrations.

The (Bactrian) camel (tuo or luotuo) is similar to a horse. It has a head like a goat’s, a rather long neck, and two fleshy lumps in a saddle shape on its back.

It may be blueish, brown, yellowish or purplish. The domesticated camel is distinguished from the wild camel. The illustrations in the first edition (shown here) are credited to his son, Li Jianyuan

Both have substantially the same medicinal properties, though the effects of the wild camel are somewhat more potent.

Camel fat: the fatty tissue in the hump — is sweet in sapor, cold in thermostatic character, and non-poisonous. It has the medicinal properties of moistening dryness and getting rid of wind, enlivening the blood and reducing swellings.

It is used to treat wind-cold damp impediment (feng han shibi), skin itches, malignant ulcers and septic swellings, muscle contraction, etc.

Camel flesh is sweet in sapor, cold in thermostatic character, and non-poisonous. It has the medicinal properties of replenishing Qi and nourishing blood. It is used to treat physical debility and emaciation, flaccidity and paralysis of the bones and sinews, dry, dull skin, etc.

Camel’s milk is sweet in sapor, cold in thermostatic character, and non-poisonous. It has the medicinal properties of tonifying the center and replenishing Qi, strengthening the bones and sinews. It is used to treat physical debility as a consequence of long illness, and weakness and frailty of the bones and sinews.

Camel hair is salty in sapor, neutral in thermostatic character, and poisonous. Calcined and ground to a powder, it settles fright and calms the mind, exercises an astringent effect and arrests vaginal discharge. It is used to treat epilepsy and mental confusion, profuse or bloody vaginal discharge, etc.

Cow bezoar is generally found in the cow’s gallbladder. It is round and light with a loose, brittle texture. It is bitter in sapor, cool in thermostatic character, and slightly poisonous. It has the medicinal properties of clearing heat and dispelling poisons, draining bile and resolving phlegm. It is used to treat epilepsy and mental confusion, infantile convulsions (jingfeng, wind fright), seasonal epidemics and heat malignity, poxes and toxic boils, etc.

Dromedary camel meat has other medical qualities, including protecting against cancerous tumors, because it contains unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic. Camel meat can also be used as a cure for exhaustion and fatigue because it contains energy (glycogen) needed by body cells. Glycogen is easily absorbed and metabolized in the body, and is converted to glucose, which activates nerves as well as other cells.

Traditional Chinese Medicine 骆驼肉 Camel meat

Camel meat has been used since the late sixteenth century in traditional Chinese medicine, to improve resistance to disease, to strengthen the muscles and bones, to moisten the skin and to relieve internal pain.

骆驼肉 Camel meat from Rihuazi 日华子 – Luò Tuo Ròu – Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao Materia Medica.

Chemical Composition of Bactrian meat:

Amino acid content in fresh Bactrian camel meat: Arginine 15.85-30.89%, Glutamic acid 9.2-95mg%, Threonine 7.5-23.6mg%, Alanine 34.5-60.2mg%, Proline 2.06-6.55mg%, Tyrosine 0.6-21.53mg%, Tryptophan 0-24.6mg%, Methionine 0-13.11mg%, Valine 5.2-18.2mg%, Leucine 1.5-28.88mg%. Contains Inosine-5-monophosphate, Copper, etc.

The humps of the Bactrian camel, connected to the back muscles, serve as nutrient storage reservoirs composed of collagen-rich fat and are considered rare delicacies in traditional Chinese cuisine.

The camel’s palm, specifically the sole of the hoof, is plump, thick, rich in protein, and its meat is tender and elastic.

Nutritional Composition of Camel Meat

Camel meat is rich in components such as protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin. Its fat content is 6.5%, and it also has very low cholesterol levels, making it healthy meat.

Suitability for Consumption

It is suitable for consumption by individuals with conditions such as insufficient qi and blood, weak and feeble muscles and bones, malnutrition, and those suffering from stubborn numbness due to wind disorders.

Contraindications for Consumption of Camel meat

Camel meat is sweet and warm in nature and benefits qi. Generally, people do not need to avoid it, but individuals with skin diseases should refrain from eating it.

Benefits of Camel Meat

Nourishes blood and boosts qi: Suitable for individuals with a dull, pale complexion and cold hands and feet.

Strengthens tendons: Strengthens tendons, promotes meridian circulation, alleviates fatigue, and regulates sore and weak lower back and knees.

Strengthens bones: Prevents or aids in the treatment of orthopedic diseases.

Activates blood and dispels stasis: Promotes the circulation of qi and blood in the body, suitable for treating blood stasis syndrome.

Nourishes yin and tonifies deficiency: Tonifies deficiencies, benefits essence and qi, moistens the lungs and tonifies the kidneys, used for lung and kidney yin deficiency. Suitable for supplementing those with chronic illness-induced weakness or consumptive diseases.

Calms the mind and relieves irritability: Carbohydrates can replenish the glucose consumed by the brain, alleviating symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, dizziness, insomnia, night sweats, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, extreme thirst, depression, metabolic disorders, and even hallucinations caused by insufficient glucose supply to the brain.

Detoxifies: Clears toxins accumulated in the body over time, promoting overall health.

Promotes diuresis and reduces swelling: Eliminates toxins and excess water from the body, promotes metabolism of blood and fluids, and has diuretic and anti-edema effects.

The outstanding significance of camels for humans’ past and present is carried over into the future:

For instance, camel milk is acquiring increasing prominence for sufferers of cow’s milk allergy; in times when pastures are declining, camels are increasingly valued as environmentally sensitive animals, for their grazing habits and their comparably soft hooves.

Antibodies from the camel’s immune system are currently being investigated as promising agents in cancer treatment.

Note: This post does not contain medical advice. Please ask a health practitioner before trying therapeutic products new to you.

If you do wish to experiment, I suggest doing further research.

The extent of History, Heritage and Folklore of the camel are hardly to be seized here. There is still much more to discover.

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