Snake oil originated from China. There, it was used as a remedy pain in joints, rheumatoid arthritis and is still used as a pain reliever there. The fats and the oils extracted from the snakes have a high content of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), hence it is thought to have inflammation reduction properties. The snake oil is sold in China. Snake fat is also and important component in health industry and when mixed with the fats of lion, crocodile, Nubian ibex and tomcat all into a homogeneous mass is believed to cause the growth of hair in bald men.
The oil remedies were patented in England, where the first patent was granted to Richard Stoughton's Elixir back in the year 1712. The American snake fats have less EPA content as compared to their Chinese water snake.
The main indegrients of the snake oil sold in san Francisco's Chinatown were unidentified carrier material, including camphor, eicosapentaenic acid, myristic acid , stearic acid , oleic acid, linoleic acid , arachidonic acid. The Chinese water snake is the richest known source of EPA, which is the starting material which the body uses to make the series 3 prostaglandins. These are the biochemical messengers which control some aspects of inflammation of the joints and hair loss. It works like an aspirin, hereby affecting the prostaglandin system. EPA can be absorbed through the skin like some essential fatty acids. Salmon oil, the next best source available, contains around 18% of the EPA. The rattlesnake oil consists around 8.5% of EPA.
The common practice of selling various dubious remedies for real ailments are still occurring today. They have been upgraded with the new marketing techniques. The term snake oil peddling is used as a derogatory term to describe certain practices such as curing chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus.
