Back in the early 2000s, while visiting my parents in Bengaluru, I had a severe migraine one evening. A friend of my dad’s was visiting at the time, and upon seeing my condition, offered to help. I politely declined, saying I would take a painkiller and go to bed early. However, he insisted I avoid “western” medications and assured me that an herbal oil he knew of would bring immediate relief if I rubbed it on my forehead. He was persistent, so to avoid being rude, I reluctantly agreed to accompany him to a store to buy the oil. Unsurprisingly, the herbal oil not only failed to work but actually worsened my migraine, as I’m sensitive to smells in addition to sound and light. Given my background in drug discovery, the outcome wasn’t unexpected, but I felt compelled to give it a try to avoid offending my family friend.
The Prevalence of Pseudoscience
Unfortunately, incidents like these are all too common in India, where people often turn to remedies based on personal testimonials, family advice, or suggestions from strangers, rather than seeking help from qualified medical professionals who rely on modern science and diagnostic tools. This tendency isn't unique to India; pseudoscientific and outdated approaches to healthcare are widespread around the world. For example, traditional medicine in some countries still promotes the use of endangered animal parts such as shark fins, tiger bones, and rhino horns, the practices that lack scientific backing and contribute to the poaching crisis. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries experienced a surge in misinformation and pseudoscientific claims, with prominent examples including anti-vaccine sentiments and resistance to mask-wearing both of which significantly undermined public health efforts, despite clear guidance from the scientific community. These examples highlight a global challenge: the persistence of unscientific beliefs in the face of accessible, evidence-based medicine.
The Need for Scientific Literacy
It's unrealistic to expect the general public to grasp the full depth of medical science or pharmacology. Medicine is an incredibly complex and specialized field, and even experienced doctors often focus on specific areas of expertise. However, what is achievable and increasingly essential is a basic understanding that allows people to distinguish between credible science and pseudoscience. In an age where information is more accessible than ever, the challenge isn't availability but discernment. The key lies in turning to trustworthy, evidence-based sources rather than relying on hearsay, sensationalism, or misinformation.
In recent times, India has witnessed a growing trend of glorifying ancient remedies, often promoted as having miraculous health benefits. Ingredients like turmeric, neem oil, desi ghee, and lemon juice are frequently touted as cure-alls, with their traditional roots being highlighted as proof of efficacy. This surge is amplified by the widespread reach of social media and a desire among some individuals to gain quick popularity by positioning themselves as custodians of ancient wisdom. While these remedies may have had historical relevance, sometimes offering genuine benefits or working through the placebo effect, the current overemphasis on them can be problematic. It risks overshadowing evidence-based medicine and may lead individuals to delay or avoid necessary medical treatment. As a result, patients in need of proper care might turn to unproven solutions, potentially worsening their conditions. Reverence for tradition, while culturally significant, should not come at the cost of scientific rigor and public health.
Ironically, it is often generally healthy individuals who most readily accept and propagate these pseudoscientific practices. The mild relief they may experience from drinking green tea, consuming hot milk with turmeric for a sore throat, or using herbal remedies for self-limiting conditions can create a misleading sense of efficacy. Without a foundation in scientific training, such feel-good outcomes are frequently mistaken for genuine medical validation. This confusion blurs the line between anecdotal comfort and clinical evidence, reinforcing unfounded health beliefs and contributing to the broader misinformation surrounding traditional remedies.
All Natural ≠ All Safe
Let’s begin with a fundamental truth: “natural” does not mean “safe.” This is a scientifically indefensible assumption, yet one that continues to permeate public discourse. The idea that natural substances are inherently benign is both misleading and dangerous. Secondly, it's important to recognize that natural products were not designed to treat human diseases. These compounds evolved to serve specific ecological roles such as defense mechanisms against predators, parasites, or competitors. Many venoms, toxins, and allergens are entirely natural, yet highly harmful. Thirdly, the moment a natural compound is isolated or concentrated for therapeutic use, it is no longer "natural" in its original sense. This change is especially significant when it comes to dose, which in turn influences crucial pharmacological parameters like pharmacokinetics (how a drug moves through the body) and pharmacodynamics (what it does once there). Whether a substance is safe or harmful depends on the dose, a rule that applies to everything from natural plant extracts to modern medicines. That said, natural products have historically played a vital role in medicine. For example, salicylic acid, derived from willow bark, gave rise to aspirin; taxol, extracted from Yew trees, became a breakthrough anti-cancer drug; and levodopa, now used to treat Parkinson’s disease, was once part of Ayurvedic formulations though not in the purified, effective form we use today. However, even these celebrated compounds come with safety thresholds. Like all drugs, they have side effects and can become toxic beyond certain limits. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS. The laws of pharmacology do not discriminate between “natural” and “synthetic.”
The Case of Curcumin
One of the most widely recognized natural compounds of Indian origin to garner global attention is curcumin, derived from turmeric. Curcumin, along with its chemical relatives collectively referred to as curcuminoids, imparts turmeric with its characteristic yellow color and has been extensively studied for its pharmacological activity. These studies, especially in vitro laboratory conditions, have shown that curcumin can modulate various biological pathways. However, it is critical to emphasize that in vitro efficacy or activity in preclinical animal models do not equate to clinical utility. The leap from cell culture to a functioning human body is vast. Curcumin suffers from extremely poor pharmacokinetics; it is not readily absorbed, quickly metabolized, and not retained in the body in a therapeutically useful form (for a comprehensive review, see J. Med. Chem. 2017, 60, 1620−1637). Moreover, curcumin has been shown to exhibit dose-dependent toxicity. Alarmingly, there have been multiple reported cases of liver damage in the United States and Europe due to the unsupervised consumption of turmeric supplements, some even resulting in death. While similar data from India remains sparse, it is reasonable to assume that such adverse outcomes are not absent, particularly given the increasing popularity of turmeric-based health products.
Over the past several decades, numerous formulation technologies including nanoparticles, liposomes, and various adjuvants have been explored in an effort to enhance the systemic bioavailability of curcumin. Despite these efforts, there has been no recorded clinical success (For an overview of clinical trials and outcome see Nutrients 2019, 11, 2147). A quick search on clinicaltrials.gov, the official U.S. government registry of clinical studies, reveals over 340 registered human trials involving curcumin. Yet, to date, there is no FDA-approved medication based on curcumin. This begs the question: what makes curcumin so special? For those with a background in chemistry or molecular biology, curcumin’s structure offers no inherent uniqueness. It is, fundamentally, a chemically reactive molecule like countless others. In fact, there are billions of small molecules in chemical libraries around the world that can elicit comparable biological effects under controlled conditions. The fascination with curcumin, then, seems to lie more in cultural sentiment and anecdotal history than in objective pharmacological promise.
The Impact of Wrong Messaging
The negative consequences of misguided health messaging around “natural” remedies are wide-ranging and deeply concerning:
Delayed Medical Attention: In India, there is a cultural tendency to avoid hospitals in the early stages of illness, often opting first for home remedies or so-called "natural" cures. This delay can allow manageable conditions to escalate into serious health crises.
Worsened Outcomes: By the time patients do seek medical care, their conditions are often more advanced. Treatment at this stage becomes more complicated, significantly more expensive, and the chances of a full recovery are reduced.
Self-Inflicted Harm: Many natural products, especially those unregulated or consumed in excess, can cause serious harm. Examples include liver damage linked to high doses of turmeric, or kidney failure from heavy metal contamination in herbal medicines and supplements.
Widespread Misinformation: Influential figures whether self-proclaimed health “gurus,” popular doctors, or social media influencers often promote unverified claims. When followed uncritically, these messages not only endanger individuals but can also shape public health narratives and policy in dangerous ways.
Biodiversity Loss: Some traditional beliefs promote the use of animal parts like tiger bones, pangolin scales, or musk deer glands as medicinal or spiritual remedies. This has led to poaching and illegal wildlife trade, pushing already endangered species closer to extinction.
What Should We Do Instead?
Discourage Misinformation by Influencers: Individuals seeking quick fame should avoid engaging with topics like health and medicine unless they are properly informed or qualified. There are countless other ways to entertain and engage audiences without jeopardizing public health.
Implement Accountability Measures: Governments should introduce clear laws and policies that prohibit the dissemination of false medical information. While enforcement remains a challenge, having such frameworks in place would act as a deterrent, particularly for high-profile influencers and public figures.
Empower Scientific Advisory Bodies: Scientific advisors should have a stronger, more visible role in shaping national health and medicine policies. The focus must shift from reviving traditional knowledge systems to investing in rigorous, evidence-based research and biomedical innovation.
Promote Indigenous Drug Discovery: India must create incentives for public and private sector investment in drug discovery and modern therapeutic development. At present, with few exceptions, most drugs used in India are discovered abroad.
Conclusion
In the words of evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, “We may not fully understand how the cosmos came into existence, but we have a reasonably good understanding of how life evolved on this planet and its inner workings.” Therefore, when it comes to solving life and health-related challenges, we can and should draw insights from a wide range of sources including the natural world, ancient traditions, the rapidly evolving fields like artificial intelligence etc. But regardless of where knowledge originates, it must be tested against the foundational principles of biology and medicine. Tradition alone does not validate a treatment; evidence does. Over the past several decades, evidence-based medicine has brought immense benefits to human and animal health alike. These are extraordinary achievements made possible not by folklore, but by painstaking scientific inquiry.
As we look to the future, continued scientific discovery promises new breakthrough solutions for diseases once thought incurable, and perhaps even ways to prolong healthy lifespans. We may not have answers to every problem today, but science offers the most reliable path toward finding them tomorrow.