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Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) has demanded a ban on using Aceclofenac in cattle after a new study showed that the drug is metabolized into diclofenac in water buffaloes — as it does in cows.
- Diclofenac — an anti-inflammatory drug — was banned for veterinary use by the Government of India in 2006.
- It was found to be the main cause of a dramatic decline (99 percent) of the vulture population across Asia.
About Aceclofenac
- It is the prodrug of the non?steroidal anti?inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac, widely used to treat acute and chronic pain
- It behaves similarly in domestic water buffalo as it does in domestic cattle, posing the same risk to vultures
- Wildlife Institute of India, BNHS and IVRI had written to DGCI and the Union health ministry demanding a ban on aceclofenac, but no action has been taken so far.
Source:DTE
