No evidence that 'lavangadi tal sindoor' is effective against chronic lung diseases

Context

A video on Twitter claims that an Ayurvedic preparation called ‘Lavangadi Tal Sindoor’ can be effective against chronic lung diseases.

Ayurveda is a system of medicine popular in India but often criticized. Ayurvedic theory says that the world is made of five elements — aakash (space), jala (water), prithvi (earth), teja (fire), and vayu (air). These elements are believed to form the three energies (doshas) in the human body and an imbalance in these doshas causes diseases. Bringing back the balance helps fight the disease. While there is little scientific evidence to back these theories, Ayurveda beliefs received a big boost after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government set up the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) ministry after coming to power in 2014.

While we were unable to find evidence of an Ayurvedic preparation called ‘lavangadi’ tal sindoor, tal sindoor is an Ayurvedic preparation that according to manufacturer Patanjali’s website contains pure mercury, arsenic compounds, and aloe vera juice. Patanjali claims that tal sindoor is "useful in skin diseases and diseases that occur due to vitiation of Kapha (phlegm) and Vata Dosha (mind-body energies associated with air)."

In Fact

Ayurvedic practitioner Rajnikant Patel who made the claim on Twitter, was unable to provide any peer-reviewed evidence for his claim when contacted by Logically Facts. When asked to share the method he uses to make the preparation, he said, “I prepare as per classical reference."

Logically Facts spoke to multiple experts about this claim. Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, a clinical and translational hepatologist at Rajagiri Hospital in Kerala, who regularly debunks health pseudoscience online, called it a nonsense post and said, “It is a traditional Ayurvedic herbal preparation made from mercury and arsenic with a host of herbs and there is no evidence that it does what it is claimed to do.”

He pointed out that Patel had only mentioned chronic lung disease, whereas there are various kinds of chronic lung disease. “How can one preparation be useful for all of these different conditions within the broad diagnosis of chronic lung disease which themselves have different causes and natural history?” he asked.

Philips also cautioned against the elements in the preparation. “Mercury and arsenic are known toxic heavy metals, and Arsenic is also known as the king of poisons. Exposure to both these heavy metal preparations puts the person/patient at great risk for short as well as long-term side effects,” he added.

Heavy metal toxicity in Ayurvedic medicine is a known concern. Research published in the medical research database PubMed Central, in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, shows that over 50 percent of Ayurvedic medicine samples tested had an above-acceptable level of toxic metal composition. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, mercury is a neurotoxin. Exposure to it can lead to tremors, insomnia, neuromuscular changes, and disturbances in sensations. According to the U.S. Centre for Disease Control, arsenic can be harmful to the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys, lungs, and lymphatic system, and is also carcinogenic.

Dr Aparna Birajdar, M.D. Pulmonary medicine and consultant at Sahyadri Hospital, Pune had a similar view. Speaking to Logically Facts, she said, "In so many years of practice I have not come across such a claim that a single ayurvedic mixture of this sort can help in all types of chronic lung diseases, nor have I come across any such literature in discussion with my expert colleagues from Ayurveda.”

Like Philips, she pointed out that the mixture contained toxic metals like arsenic and mercury and raised concerns about them.

Birajdar also questioned the use of one preparation for a host of chronic lung diseases, saying they need different kinds of action. “Claiming a single preparation can help against all chronic lung diseases, without enough supporting evidence or scientific data and reconfirmation by other Ayurvedic experts appears to be overboard,” she noted.

However, she said that the same can be put to enough research and tests and trials under the guidance of experts in relevant fields, and its effectiveness then reviewed.

Milind Sathe, an Ayurveda practitioner who runs an Ayurved clinic and consults at Nanal Ayurvedic Hospital, Pune also disagreed with this claim. He said, "I don't believe this. I have not come across any literature which proves that chronic lung diseases can be cured like this. So many Ayurvedic practitioners claim that they can cure serious diseases like cancer, kidney failure, etc without any evidence. They should first do proper trials and come up with scientific proof before making such claims."

The Verdict

There is no scientific evidence to show that ‘lavangadi tal sindoor’ can be effective against chronic lung diseases. In fact, modern medicine doctors have pointed out that one preparation cannot serve multiple diseases and cautioned against some toxic ingredients in the preparation. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.