Therein lies the rub: Desi Viagra in a bottle

Snake oil mixed with herbs and lizard draw crowds in Saddar.

KARACHI:

Some people call him a charlatan and others accuse him of quackery but Ghulam Abbas Dehlvi, who prefers to be called a hakeem, says he has helped countless men suffering complications with their sexual health.

Young and old, married or single, men mostly from the lower socio-economic strata across the city flock to Dehlvi’s stall to buy ‘medicinal oil’, he claims acts as a ‘desi Viagra’.

On a footpath by the busy and noisy road by Empress Market, Dehlvi along with his brother and partner sell the oil prepared with a family recipe. The special oil, they call Tilla-e-Shish Nag (oil of snakes) is sold with a guarantee to aid men having trouble with their performance and is also pitched as a treatment for hair loss or a remedy for body aches and pains, especially joint pains and backaches.

The preparation for the multi-purpose oil is done in the open market by Dehlvi’s partner Mehrab Shah who is surrounded by posters of semi-nude women to attract customers.

Dehlvi’s brother, who is also in charge of marketing their product, manages to gather a large crowd as he opens for business each morning. Soon after he begins advertising on a microphone, the stall is surrounded. Their small wooden table, covered with a red plastic mat, displays the oil’s ingredients open for inspection by potential customers. Ingredients include snake fat, Pan ki jar, Rattan Jaur, Sabut Jayfal, Hurmal, Dar Cheeni, Kuchla, Long and dried ginger. The oil’s preparation is a skill passed down in his family from generation to generation over the last 200 years, Dehlvi proudly says.

Right by the table is a small coal burner where Shah prepares the pungent-smelling potion. Once cooked, Shah fills the oil into small glass bottles which hold about 0.5 grams. The trio average 50 customers a day for their product which they also supply to some medical stores in Saddar. At his roadside stall, Dehlvi sells the oil mostly to be applied according to his ‘Hikmat ka course’ (herbal course). The ‘light’ version of the course recommends the use of six bottles for men over 50 years of age to apply to their private parts twice a day while those under 50 years are advised to apply the oil once a day. However, Dehlvi cautions that the ‘biological condition’ of the client dictates the frequency and quantity of the oil’s application. In the full course, a special ingredient, sanda or uromastyx aegyptia (lizard), is also cooked and added.

Saleem, 48, owns a medical store in Saddar which sells the oil. “People from almost every age group come to buy it, but the majority of the clientele are between 20 and 35 years old,” he told The Express Tribune. Comparing costs of this hikmat alternative to an allopathic solution, Saleem adds, “A tablet [of Viagra] costs about Rs50 for a single use but this bottle, which also costs Rs50, can be used several times.”

Shafiq, 58, who has been using the oil for the last four years for joint pain, says that the concoction has worked well for him. But he doesn’t appreciate the provocative pictures the men use as a marketing tool. “There are many schools nearby and with this stall in the open it sparks curiosity in the young crowd. They are too young for these images and this product,” he muses.

In a male-dominated society where infertility and impotence remain taboo, it is a small wonder that men, especially from the lower social strata, prefer Dehlvi’s oil not just because it is cheap but also because it supposedly provides them a quick, quiet solution.

But just how biologically effective is this so-called ‘desi miracle oil’? The Express Tribune caught up with a professor of pharmacology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Dr Anwar Gilani, to find out. “It is difficult to say the extent of the oil’s effectiveness,” he says. “But since the dawn of mankind, snake oil has been used [for this condition].” Even in modern medicine, there are elements of similar treatment for this condition. He cautions, however, that there can be serious side effects if someone drinks it.

And what about the herbs used to prepare the oil. “Herbs are rich in medicinal value but, that said, it is a myth that they do not have any side effects,” he explains. “Just like chemical drugs, herbs also can be harmful if not used properly.” There is are no such thing as safe medicine - it’s always safe prescriptions from a physician or safe use. Perhaps Dehlvi’s happy customers would beg to differ.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th,  2011.