Can swallowing Hyderabad's 'Fish Prasadam' cure asthma? Kerala doctor explains

Malayalam movie lovers might remember Salim Kumar’s character in the superhit movie Guru Shishyan, who tricks Jagathy Sreekumar, an asthmatic patient, by giving him a snakehead caught from a local lake instead of the ‘magical’ fish from Andhra Pradesh that is believed to have amazing medicinal properties. This hilarious scene that had elicited laughter in the theatres is inspired by a unique and famous 'Fish Prasadam' tradition in Hyderabad's Nampally. Hundreds of asthma patients from across the country travel to Hyderabad to participate in this annual fish-swallowing ritual. A live murrel fish, inserted with a secret herbal paste, is used for the ritual.  

Can asthma be cured thus? 
Dr PS Shahjahan, a professor of pulmonology at the Government Medical College, Parippally, states that asthma cannot be cured merely by swallowing a fish that has been fed medicines. Moreover, this ritual could even put the patient’s life in danger, he says. Airway inflammation is a major symptom of asthma. There haven’t been any clinical tests or scientific research that prove that inflammation caused by asthma could be reduced by swallowing live fish. 

Risks involved
Because the ingredients in the medicinal paste fed to the fish have not yet been disclosed, its efficacy cannot be determined. Dr Shahjahan says that there is also a risk of choking when live fish is swallowed by an asthmatic patient. Giving up modern medical treatments that are backed by scientific research for such strange rituals would only worsen the inflammation, leading to severe health problems. Moreover, live fish and the secret medicinal paste may cause allergic reactions in patients with asthma. Dr Shahjahan advises patients with asthma to consult a specialist healthcare practitioner for effective medical treatment rather than booking a ticket to Hyderabad to swallow medicinal fish.