History Main / SpiceRackPanacea

* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "The Sting of Death", a local apiarist claims to have cured his cancer through a regimen of honey and bee venom. He is now doing a thriving trade is selling the honey and venom as an alternative medicine. [[spoiler:It turns out he never had cancer. It was a misdiagnosis. However, by the time this was discovered, he was making too much money to come clean, so he paid off his doctors to keep quiet about it. The killer turns out to be someone whose mother had the same form of cancer and eschewed medical treatment in favour of the honey and venom and died.]]

One of the staples of late night advertising[[note]] And, these days, online as well, often said to be "discovered" by "a mom from {{Suburbia}}," and "[[MemeticMutation Doctors Hate Her!!!]]" because she (apparently) [[ConsumerConspiracy knows something They don't want her to know]]. [[/note]] is the host of [[HealingHerb herbal remedies]] claiming to cure all known human ills. Having trouble shedding that last 10 pounds? There's an herbal pill for it. Can't concentrate or focus like you used to? We have magic plant extracts for that, too. Sex life not what it used to be? There's a whole forest of herbs for that one. [[IncrediblyLamePun (And with that much wood, how can you go wrong?)]] Only three easy payments!

->''"You can go to your Nan, who will give you two potions that will restore health, ''and'' magic, AND double your damage. For FREE. 'Nan, your hearty soup is flooding the potion market! Fuck Ganondorf, we need to save ''you'' from having your kneecaps broke by the Potion Teamsters Union!'"''
-->-- '''''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation''''', ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker''

[[folder:In Fiction ]]

* An episode of ''Series/{{House}}'' from the first season dealt with this. He had to prove that it wasn't his failure to keep good records that caused a nun to react unexpectedly to an allergy shot. After about forty minutes televised time, he figured out that the figwort tea she drank all the time caused that particular problem; figwort acted like a stimulant. [[spoiler:Except not, it was a red herring.]]

* An episode of ''Series/PerfectStrangers'' had Balki mentioning ''The [[MeaningfulName Midolcrampabloatalis root]] that grows on the summit of [[MeaningfulName Mt. PMSkalos]]" as a cure for something that ailed Larry.
* In ''Series/NewTricks'', DefectiveDetective Brian Lane switches from the powerful anti-depressants he normally uses to combat his [=OCD=] and paranoid manic depression to a holistic regime... and quickly becomes an unstable, nervous and paranoid wreck who's no good at his job. In her defense, the holistic practitioner he consults urges him to consult his medical doctor before making any shift in his medication or including her holistic treatments in his routine; Brian simply chooses not to listen.
* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "Sting of Death", a local apiarist claims to have cured his cancer through a regimen of honey and bee venom. He is now doing a thriving trade is selling the honey and venom as an alternative medicine. [[spoiler:It turns out he never had cancer. It was a misdiagnosis. However, by the time this was discovered, he was making too much money to come clean, so he paid off his doctors to keep quiet about it. The killer turns out to be someone whose mother had the same form of cancer and eschewed medical treatment in favour of the honey and venom and died.]]

* ''Series/{{Harrow}}'': The VictimOfTheWeek in "Parce Sepulto" ("Forgive the Dead") is a health blogger promoting a mineral supplement she claims cured her of cancer. [[spoiler:Unbeknownst to her, she never actually had cancer and the mineral supplement is loaded with heavy metals that have been slowly poisoning her.]]

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'' episode "Fry and the Slurm Factory", when Bender complains about feeling sick:
-->'''Amy''': You should try homeopathic medicine, Bender. Try some zinc.
-->'''Bender''': [[RunningGag I'm forty percent zinc.]]
-->'''Amy''': Then take some echinacea, or St. John's wort.
-->'''Professor Farnsworth''': Or a big, fat placebo. It's all the same crap!

[[folder:Real Life ]]

* Anthocyanins for ovulation pain and similar ovary-related problems. Which is actually harmless, because anthocyanins are plant pigments that have nothing to do with cyanide but name (both names are derived from a Greek word that means "blue"), but there's zero scientific evidence that hibiscus tea (a rich source of anthcyanins and the form usually recommended) actually works beyond helping you relax and hydrating you.

* Anthocyanins for ovulation pain and other complaints from AFAB people. Which is actually harmless, because anthocyanins are plant pigments that have nothing to do with cyanide but name (both names are derived from a Greek word that means "blue"), but there's zero scientific evidence that hibiscus tea (a rich source of anthcyanins and the form usually recommended) actually works beyond helping you relax and hydrating you.

* Anthocyanins for ovulation pain and other female complaints. Which is actually harmless, because anthocyanins are plant pigments that have nothing to do with cyanide but name (both names are derived from a Greek word that means "blue"), but there's zero scientific evidence that hibiscus tea (a rich source of anthcyanins and the form usually recommended) actually works beyond helping you relax and hydrating you.

[[AC:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', the "Holy Stones" sold by the Wheel of Fortune Confidant, Chihaya Mifune, turn out to be made of ordinary rock salt.

[[/folder]]

[[AC:Live Action TV]]

* Many people use natural [=MAOI=]-containing herbs such as Passionflower to treat their depression. What many of them don't realize is that if they take these herbs while or even ''2 weeks before'' taking an SSRI-based substance (most prescription antidepressants), or eating certain foods you can basically overdose on your own serotonin and get very sick, or even die. Similarly, St. John's Wort contains [=SRIs=] similar to anit-depressants such as Prozac. Taking multiple SRI/SSRI/SNRI type drugs can cause serious and potentially fatal complications. Combining MAO inhibitors with [=SRIs=], or with any number of different types of foods, can also cause serious and potentially fatal complications. St. John's wort is also known to interact badly with certain heart medications; and can greatly reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.

* [[http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/don%E2%80%99t-believe-hype-%E2%80%93-10-persistent-cancer-myths-debunked No, you cannot prevent, treat, or cure cancer by eating "superfoods," or a low-acid or vegan diet]] (you may however be able to prevent it by lowering sugar in your diet, as cancer has [[https://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20141216/diabetes-cancer-rates some links to diabetes]]).

* Anthocyanins for ovulation pain and other female complaints. Which is actually harmless, because anthocyanins are plant pigments that have nothing to do with cyanide but name (both names are derived from a Greek word that means "blue"), but there's zero scientific evidence that hibiscus tea (a rich source of anthcyanins and the form usually recomended) actually works beyond helping you relax and hydrating you.

One of the staples of late night advertising[[note]] And, these days, online as well, often said to be "discovered" by "a mom from {{Suburbia}}," and "[[MemeticMutation Doctors Hate Her!!!]]" because she (apparently) [[ConsumerConspiracy knows something They don't want her to know]]. [[/note]] is the host of herbal remedies claiming to cure all known human ills. Having trouble shedding that last 10 pounds? There's an herbal pill for it. Can't concentrate or focus like you used to? We have magic plants for that, too. Sex life not what it used to be? There's a whole forest of herbs for that one. [[IncrediblyLamePun (And with that much wood, how can you go wrong?)]]

* The original formula for Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, sold as a cure-all for "female complaints", included some herbs still recommended by alternative medicine for treating menopause symptoms. It was also nearly 40 proof[[note]]about 20% alcohol by volume[[/note]], packing more alcoholic punch than most nonfortified wines. (Mrs Pinkham's competitors used an even higher alcohol content.) In an era when ladies did not drink in public, a couple bottles of Vegetable Compound in the medicine cupboard could give you a very nice buzz without the stigma of being a LadyDrunk -- you're just taking your medicine.

* An episode of ''Series/{{House}}'' from the first season dealt with this. He had to prove that it wasn't his failure to keep good records that caused a nun to react unexpectedly to an allergy shot. After about forty minutes televised time, he figured out that the figwort tea she drank all the time caused that particular problem; figwort acted like a stimulant. [[spoiler: Except not, it was a red herring.]]

* It seems that every month or two someone tests some herbal treatment, and discovers that the manufacturer is slipping in ground-up Viagra or blood pressure medicine or some other prescription medicine appropriate to the condition. Not that they're mentioning that little fact on the label, opening people to surprise drug interactions and overdoses, and this is if the consumer's ''lucky''. Many herbal medicines contain drugs that were banned in the West years ago after they were discovered to be unsafe. Others contain veterinary drugs that aren't safe for human use - one example contained an antibiotic used to treat horses which in humans could be lethal.

* Licorice root, often used in large doses to treat stomach problems and alleviate minor pains, is known to cause high blood pressure. As an episode of WebVideo/{{Chubbyemu}}'s series elaborates, it's actually quite hard to get enough of it to start suffering from ill effects, at least in the United States, as most licorice sold there isn't actually real licorice, but licorice flavoured candy. However, a case in 2020 that forms the basis for the episode certainly proved it was possible, as a man from Massachusetts ate so much black licorice that its active ingredient and its metabolite - glycyrrhizinic acid and enoxolone - wreaked havoc on his potassium levels by mimicking the hormone aldosterone, which controls the amounts of potassium, sodium and other important chemicals. Eventually, he dropped dead from a combination of his heart stopping and brain damage sustained during his cardiac arrest, as he had lost so much potassium that his heart couldn't beat properly.

* Many plants contain various amount of phytoestrogens, which are compounds that are chemically ''similar'' to estrogen, but which do not behave like your own estrogen in the body[[note]]- and yes, gentlemen, this includes you; everyone, regardless of gender, produces some estrogen and some testosterone[[/note]]. Whether or not phytoestrogens have any real health benefits for adult women [[http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/FactSheet/Diet/fs1.phyto.cfm is uncertain]], but some people claim (or strongly imply) that phytoestrogens are ''better'' for you than the estrogen your own body makes ''because it comes from plants.'' Whut?

* During the SARS outbreak, internet chain letters claimed things such as Vitamin C, Belladonna, and Colloidal Silver would cure it. Vitamin C is fairly tame, but Belladonna is a poisonous plant and Colloidal Silver will ''permanently turn your skin blue.'' [[note]] colloidal silver ''has'' demonstrated antimicrobial properties in laboratory testing but it has the potential to cause kidney failure, and actual antibiotics do much better in antimicrobial department. Actually taking colloidal silver is pretty much like drinking bleach because it kills germs. [[/note]]

** You might recall the time when UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump stunned his Coronavirus Response Co-ordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, into a visible [[BlueScreenOfDeath BSOD]] by suggesting at a press conference that ingesting disinfectant might be a potential treatment for Coronavirus; the aforementioned Mark Grenon is [[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/24/revealed-leader-group-peddling-bleach-cure-lobbied-trump-coronavirus known to have written to Trump making the claim that MMS could be used as a Coronavirus treatment]] before Trump said ''almost'' the same thing (Bleach is of course a disinfectant, but it's not the ''only'' thing that is; that said, basically ''nothing'' that qualifies as a disinfectant is safe for human consumption).
** More on the topic of crazy medical uses of industrial cleaning agents, Lysol was marketed as a vaginal douche in the 1950's.

** As stated on AllNaturalSnakeOil, raw and wholly organic bitter almonds as well as apricot and peach pits (that is the seed within the stone) contain Amygdalin, the chemical used to get the "almond smell", which breaks down in the body. The chemical itself has a nitrile group that decomposes into cyanide. Amygdalin and its synthetic cousin laetrile have been pushed as "vitamin B17" (note that it is not, nor has it ever met the scientific definition of a vitamin) and has been made claim that it "selectively targets cancer cells" (yes, this is true and no, they don't explain how) and that The FDA is conspiring with "Big Pharma" to withhold information of the "natural cures" for some sinister reason and not because these are so bad that the bags that sell them explicitly state "don't eat more than six a day" (see [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ConspiracyTheories/HToN Health]]).

* Someone tried selling [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_Mineral_Supplement medicinal bleach]] a couple of years ago. Even now, there are those who claim it cures everything from cancer to autism.

* Kala namak, or Himalayan black salt, is a type of rock salt which is chemically very similar to table salt, but with a few different impurities which alter its colour, smell and taste. However, many health food sites such as [[https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-black-salt-for-skin-hair-and-health/#gref this one]] claim it to be a cure for anything from bloating to depression to dandruff, despite these assertions seemingly being based on no evidence whatsoever. What makes this even more jarring is that many articles freely admit that there have been no scientific studies done on the health benefits of the salt, yet they then go ahead and present their claims as fact anyway. Also, many things they say are just plain wrong- a common claim is that it's good for people with high blood pressure because it's supposedly low in sodium, which is completely untrue. Like most edible salts, kala namak is mainly composed of sodium chloride, and even the trace impurities is contains are mainly sodium compounds. Some sources also say that it's a good source of potassium (it isn't), and say it contains "a unique sulfurous component" (god knows what that's meant to be).

One of the staples of late night advertising [[note]] And, these days, online as well, often said to be "discovered" by "a mom from {{Suburbia}}," and "[[MemeticMutation Doctors Hate Her!!!]]" because she (apparently) [[ConsumerConspiracy knows something They don't want her to know]]. [[/note]] is the host of herbal remedies claiming to cure all known human ills. Having trouble shedding that last 10 pounds? There's an herbal pill for it. Can't concentrate or focus like you used to? We have magic plants for that, too. Sex life not what it used to be? There's a whole forest of herbs for that one. [[IncrediblyLamePun (And with that much wood, how can you go wrong?)]]

* Echinacea, commonly used to treat colds and other mild viral infections; is known to react badly with heart and anti-anxiety medications.

* Licorice root, often used in large doses to treat stomach problems, is known to cause high blood pressure.

[[folder: In Fiction ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shilajit Shilajit]] (spellings differ), is a sludgelike substance derived from the gum of a certain cactus-like plant forming a sort of tar that looks and tastes like pavement would. Supposedly, it's ayurvedic and supports a healthy system. Well, it ''may'' do that, but it does so be causing gas and pretty severe abdominal pain.

See also AllNaturalSnakeOil. For something that actually works, see {{Panacea}}, or the more downplayed and plausible version ThatOldTimePrescription. Compare and contrast SideEffectsInclude. Also consider the PlaceboEffect, which means that even useless remedies can produce genuine results since YourMindMakesItReal.