Publication Details

AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS

SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH

veterinary

Composition and therapeutic use of camel milk

Large Animal Review, Volume 20, No. 3, Year 2014

Is well known that cow's milk (LV) is an alternative to breast milk (LM) when breastfeeding is not possible or insufficient. Unfortunately, the proteins of the LV, in particular caseins and β-lactoglobulin, can be allergenic in infants resulting in a condition known as allergy to cow's milk proteins (CMA). This has made necessary to find valid alternatives food with milk of other mammals or "artificial" milk. The camel milk (LC) for its unique composition, being free of β-lactoglobulin, today attracts a gradually increasing interest also for the purpose of possible uses in human medicine. Studies on the composition and therapeutic potential of the LC were conducted primarily by researchers, especially Arabs, Israelis and Pakistanis, in those areas where the population of camels is more prevalent. The studies, although of restricted case studies, suggest both the immunological difference between the LV and the LC as both the LC could be successfully used in disorders such as CMA, diabetes mellitus (DM) type 1 and 2, autism, fatty liver disease, Crohn's disease and diarrhea. From the early months of 2013, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department for Health and Consumer Policy of the European Commission concluded the authorization procedures for the trade and the use of LC in their respective territories (the European Union [EU] has allowed the import from the emirate of Dubai and dates back to 2006, in the Netherlands, the presence of the first and only camel farm in the EU), thereby making it more easy the retrieval of the product in Europe. Therefore, we considered it useful starting from the bibliography, describe the main features of the LC and how much has been studied in the medical field relating to the use of this milk. Must be considered, in the light of the published results, that further studies with a greater number of patients are needed to confirm the data, very encouraging, in relation to therapeutic potential of the LC.
Statistics
Citations: 7
Authors: 7
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
ISSN: 11244593
Research Areas
Disability
Food Security
Health System And Policy
Maternal And Child Health
Noncommunicable Diseases
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study