Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov has become the latest in a long line of world leaders to promote potentially lethal fake cures for Covid-19. On April 16, he posted on Instagram and Facebook that Kyrgyzstan might use a tincture made from aconite roots to treat the virus. 

“If symptoms appear, go to the hospital immediately, do not lie at home. Our doctors have found a way to cure the disease in a day or two at the initial stage,” read a caption attached to a video of people apparently labeling bottles of the preparation.

To date, Kyrgyzstan has registered over 92,600 coronavirus cases and 1,561 deaths.

Known locally as issyk-kul root, aconite has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine and homeopathy. Some studies suggest that chemical compounds found in the plant might have some health benefits, but the research is scant. The overwhelming majority of medical experts consider it to be highly toxic and warn against its use in any form.