“Worm Therapy” for Asthma similar to “Hyderabad Fish Medicine”?

Recently read a report describing a new type of therapy for Asthma using hookworms. The basic principle being – the hookworms trigger the production of T cells that direct the immune system to respond and since the immune system is focused on attacking the hookworms, the typical immune system response of the asthmatic to allergens is suppressed.  When I read this, I was reminded of the Hyderabad based Goud Family’s “fish medicine”.  This medicine is administered on one auspicious day every year. The asthma patient swallows a live 3 cm long murrel fish coated with a secret herbal medicine. There are reports of people having been cured by this medicine (I don’t know anyone that has been cured personally). Per a report in the UK’s Telegraph, the Indian Medical Association took the Goud Family to court claiming that this is a quack medicine.(Via Tim Worstall – he says if it works it should be good medicine. ) I started wondering whether the murrel fish is triggering an immune response similar to the hookworms?


Comments

  1. Anonymous said October 9, 2007, 10:18 am:

    Well that’s an interesting way of curing. Does it really work? I now Asian medical practices are a little bit different but they have their own efficiencies. I also find their medicines very challenging.

    Gordman,

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