Diarrhoeal diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly affecting children in resource-limited settings. The management of diarrhoea requires effective rehydration solutions coupled with therapeutic agents that address underlying infectious causes and promote mucosal healing. Camel milk (CM) has emerged as a promising natural therapeutic agent due to its unique physiological and biochemical properties that collectively combat dehydration, inhibit enteric pathogens, and accelerate gut repair. Scientific evidence increasingly supports its traditional use in arid regions as a medicinal food for gastrointestinal disorders. The multifaceted mechanisms through which camel milk exerts its antidiarrheal effects position it as a valuable nutritional intervention in comprehensive diarrhoea management strategies.
Rehydration and Electrolyte Balance
Camel milk serves as a superior natural rehydration solution due to its balanced electrolyte profile and osmotic properties. Biochemically, it contains significantly higher concentrations of sodium (58-155 mg/100g) and potassium (156-220 mg/100g) compared to bovine milk, closely mirroring the electrolyte ratios recommended by the World Health Organization for oral rehydration solutions. This mineral composition effectively restores fluid balance and corrects dehydration during acute diarrhoeal episodes. The presence of easily digestible carbohydrates (primarily lactose) enhances water and electrolyte absorption in the intestine through solvent drag mechanisms. Clinical observations of nomadic populations traditionally using camel milk during dysentery outbreaks consistently report rapid recovery from dehydration, supported by research demonstrating its efficacy in reducing fluid loss in dehydrating colitis models. The osmotic characteristics of camel milk further contribute to its rehydration capacity, as its lower lactose content (4.5% versus 4.8% in bovine milk) reduces the risk of osmotic diarrhoea exacerbation in lactose-intolerant individuals.
Table 1: Electrolyte Composition of Camel Milk vs. Standard Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS)
| Electrolyte (mg/100g) | Camel Milk | WHO ORS |
| Sodium | 58-155 | 90 |
| Potassium | 156-220 | 20 |
| Zinc | 0.53-1.0 | 0.2-0.3 |
| Osmolarity (mOsm/L) | 280-310 | 245 |
Antimicrobial Mechanisms Against Pathogens
The antimicrobial arsenal of camel milk provides direct action against diverse diarrhoeagenic pathogens through multiple synergistic mechanisms. Lactoferrin, present in concentrations of 95-250mg/dl, exerts potent bactericidal effects by chelating iron essential for bacterial growth and directly disrupting microbial membranes. This iron-binding glycoprotein demonstrates particular efficacy against enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains, including those expressing F17 fimbriae commonly implicated in calf diarrhoea – a model relevant to human paediatric infections. Beyond lactoferrin, camel milk contains elevated levels of immunoglobulins (particularly IgG2 and IgG3 subclasses) and lysozyme (25-68 μg/ml), which collectively target viral pathogens like rotavirus through viral particle agglutination and enzymatic degradation of viral capsids.
Notably, camel whey proteins exhibit extraordinary thermal stability, retaining bioactivity even after pasteurization, which ensures their antimicrobial efficacy despite processing. In vitro investigations demonstrate concentration-dependent growth inhibition of multiple diarrhoeal pathogens including Salmonella, Shigella, and Listeria species, with significant (70%) suppression of E. coli F17 achieved at 50mg/ml concentrations. The antibiofilm properties further enhance therapeutic utility, as camel milk reduces biofilm formation by 45% at physiological concentrations by interfering with bacterial adhesion and quorum sensing pathways. This multi-targeted antimicrobial approach simultaneously reduces pathogen load and toxin production, addressing the infectious triggers of diarrhoea while preventing its persistence.
Anti-Inflammatory and Gut Barrier Restoration
Beyond pathogen clearance, camel milk modulates the inflammatory cascade and promotes structural restoration of damaged intestinal mucosa. In experimental colitis models, camel milk significantly attenuates pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) while upregulating tight junction proteins (claudin-1, occludin, zonula occludens-1) that are critical for epithelial barrier integrity. This anti-inflammatory activity is mediated through immunomodulatory peptides released during digestion and the high zinc content (0.53-1.0 mg/100g), which functions as a cofactor for metalloenzymes involved in mucosal repair.
The gut-reparative effects are further enhanced by camel milk’s prebiotic properties, which increase beneficial microbiota such as Lachnospiraceae and Muribaculaceae while reducing pro-inflammatory Bacteroides populations. This microbiota modulation increases short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production – particularly butyrate – which serves as the primary energy substrate for colonocytes and stimulates cellular regeneration pathways. The larger casein micelle structure (486nm vs 137nm in bovine milk) forms softer curds during gastric digestion, reducing mechanical stress on inflamed mucosa while facilitating nutrient absorption. These combined mechanisms accelerate resolution of intestinal inflammation and restoration of normal absorptive function, shortening diarrhoea duration and improving nutritional outcomes during recovery.
Enhanced Digestibility and Clinical Implications
The exceptional digestibility of camel milk proteins provides significant advantages during diarrhoeal episodes when enzymatic activity may be compromised. Proteomic analyses reveal camel milk generates significantly smaller peptide fragments (<1kDa) during simulated infant digestion compared to bovine milk, requiring less enzymatic input for assimilation. This high digestibility stems from structural differences in caseins, particularly the predominance of β-casein (65% of total casein) which is more susceptible to pepsin hydrolysis than the α-casein dominant in bovine milk. The absence of β-lactoglobulin – a highly allergenic bovine whey protein – eliminates a common trigger for allergic diarrhoea while making camel milk suitable for children with cow’s milk protein intolerance.
Clinical observations note that children consuming camel milk during diarrhoeal illness exhibit faster resolution of symptoms, improved weight gain during recovery, and reduced recurrence rates. These outcomes reflect the coordinated actions of camel milk’s components: antimicrobials reduce pathogen burden, anti-inflammatories alleviate mucosal inflammation, zinc repairs epithelial damage, and easily assimilated nutrients prevent malnutrition. While not replacing urgent medical interventions in severe dehydration, camel milk serves as an effective nutritional adjunct to standard management, particularly in persistent or antibiotic-associated diarrhoeas where gut barrier restoration is paramount.
Conclusion
Camel milk represents a functionally complex nutritional intervention for diarrhoea management, integrating oral rehydration, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and gut-reparative actions. Its electrolyte profile ensures effective rehydration, while its diverse antimicrobial proteins directly target causative pathogens. Simultaneously, its immunomodulatory components alleviate intestinal inflammation, and high zinc content supports mucosal regeneration. These biological properties, combined with exceptional digestibility, make camel milk particularly valuable in paediatric diarrhoea management and recovery. Further clinical studies establishing optimal dosing regimens and formulations will enhance its therapeutic application in evidence-based gastroenterological practice.
Glossary
- Lactoferrin: An iron-binding glycoprotein in camel milk with bactericidal properties through iron chelation and membrane disruption.
- Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): Metabolic products (e.g., butyrate) from microbial fermentation that promote colonocyte health and mucosal repair 1.
- Zonula occludens: Tight junction proteins critical for intestinal barrier integrity, upregulated by camel milk.
- F17 fimbriae: Filamentous bacterial adhesins on pathogenic E. coli strains; targets of camel milk’s antimicrobial action.
- β-casein: The predominant casein fraction in camel milk (65%), enhancing digestibility and gastric emptying.
References
- Alhaj OA, et al. Camel milk modulates the gut microbiota and has anti-inflammatory effects in a murine model of colitis. Journal of Dairy Science. 2022.
- Galali Y, Al-Dmoor HM. Miraculous Properties of Camel Milk and Perspective of Modern Science. Journal of Family Medicine and Disease Prevention. 2019.
- Ho TM, et al. Changes in surface chemical composition relating to rehydration properties of spray-dried camel milk powder during accelerated storage. Food Chemistry. 2021.
- Jiang H, et al. Digestive properties and peptide profiles exhibited significant differences between skim camel milk and bovine milk powder after static in vitro simulated infant gastrointestinal digestion. Food Research International. 2023.
- Maziad NA, et al. Antibacterial activity of camel colostrum against pathogenic Escherichia coli F17. Open Veterinary Journal. 2024.
- Swelum AA, et al. Nutritional, antimicrobial and medicinal properties of Camel’s milk: A review. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. 2021.
- Zibaee S, et al. Nutritional and therapeutic characteristics of camel milk in children: A systematic review. Electronic Physician. 2015.
