Chennai | IIT Madras director V Kamakoti, who stirred a controversy by saying that Gaumutra (cow urine) has medicinal properties, on Monday claimed that top journals in the US have published papers on scientific evidence to this effect.

Justifying his recent comments, Kamakoti said Gaumutra has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.

"This has been scientifically demonstrated. Journals in the United States have published the scientific evidence," he told reporters here.

Based on its medicinal properties, cow urine was available for sale online, Kamakoti said when asked about his controversial remark during the Pongal celebrations.

While addressing the 'Go Samrakshana Sala" event on Maatu Pongal day (on January 15) dedicated to cows, Kamakoti reportedly stated that cow urine has anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties and can heal a variety of illnesses, including irritable bowel syndrome.

Members of various political parties criticised the IIT director for his remarks that went viral on social media.

He shared articles published in 'Nature', a scientific journal, in June 2021 in which the scientists associated with the Animal Biotechnology Centre and Cell Biology and Proteomics Lab of the National Dairy Research Institute, published the result of peptide profiling in cow urine.

The authors concluded that the discovery of thousands of endogenous peptides in cow urine contributes to various bioactivities associated with urine.