5 Medical Conditions Python Bile Was Historically Used to Treat, and Why

What was python bile actually used for? It has been a real and documented cure in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Interestingly, it is said to cure every ailment from intestinal parasites to fevers, ulcers and even leprosy. Python bile was regarded as one of the best snake biles on the market, and its use dates back to the Song dynasty in Chinese medicine.

What Conditions Was Python Bile Historically Used to Treat?

According to a peer-reviewed review published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, python bile was prescribed for a specific, well-documented range of conditions:

1. Intestinal Parasites and Colicky Abdominal Pain

Python bile was prescribed mainly for patients with intermittent colicky abdominal pain, according to a peer-reviewed review published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. Based on paleopathological evidence, this pain was probably caused by intestinal parasites, including Ascaris lumbricoides and schistosomes, that were prevalent at the time this remedy was used.

Who this treatment was for: Patients who were suffering from recurrent colicky abdominal pain and thought that this was caused by parasitic infection, which was a widespread ailment prior to the era of modern anti-parasitic drugs.

Python Bile for medical treatment (1)

image credit: Google Gemini AI

2. Haemorrhoids and Bloody Dysentery

Alongside abdominal complaints, python bile was also employed for patients with haemorrhoids and bloody dysentery, according to the same World Journal of Gastroenterology review. This use likely stemmed from observed anti-inflammatory effects, since bile acids and salts were later confirmed in laboratory settings to have properties relevant to inflammation and bacterial activity.

Who this treatment was for: Patients suffering from rectal bleeding or dysentery, conditions that were widespread before proper sanitation and antibiotics.

3. High Fever in Children

For paediatric use, python bile was diluted with water and dropped into the nose for treating high fever, according to Wang and Carey. This administration was done, not orally, but via the nose, and how traditional practitioners do for younger patients.

Who this treatment was for: Children experiencing high fever, using a gentler, diluted application method suited to a paediatric context.

4. Infantile Dysentery Complicated by Malnutrition

Python bile was also given as an enema to treat infantile dysentery complicated by malnutrition, according to the same review. This reflects how the remedy was adapted differently depending on both the patient's age and the severity of the underlying condition.

Who this treatment was for: Infants with dysentery whose condition had progressed to include malnutrition, a more severe presentation requiring a different mode of administration.

5. External Ulcers, Chancres, and Leprosy

Python bile was employed externally to treat ulcers, or chancres, of the external female genitalia, most likely venereal in origin, as well as chancres complicated by fistulae in children, and leprosy, according to Wang and Carey (2014). The researchers note this made biological sense, since some secondary bile acids are potent topical microbicidal agents, meaning they could genuinely help fight infection when applied directly to skin lesions.

Who this treatment was for: Patients with external ulcers, genital sores, or leprosy-related skin lesions, applied topically rather than consumed.

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Where and When Did This Practice Actually Begin?

The origin point is specifically documented. Chinese physician Su Song described a detailed method for collecting gallbladder bile from pythons in his Illustrated Pharmacopoeia, written around 1061 CE, according to the World Journal of Gastroenterology review. In southern China, pythons were often raised specifically for the purpose of collecting bile, typically harvested during a specific season for maximum potency.

Is Python Bile Still Used in Traditional Medicine Today?

Yes, in some regions. According to a 2021 literature study published in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, consuming python bile remains popular in Indonesia today, used to treat respiratory disorders, fever, aches, and to boost immunity. Read the study here:.

Does Modern Science Support Any of These Traditional Uses?

There's some early, limited scientific backing, but with real caveats. The same 2021 study found python bile contains bile acids and bile salts, including compounds called Tauropythocholate and Taurocholate, that could inhibit bacterial growth in laboratory testing. 

However, the researchers were clear that high doses, more than two biles, and long-term use are not recommended, due to the potential for liver and kidney damage. The paper concluded that while python bile shows potential efficacy in line with its traditional claims, this still requires stronger evidence from proper clinical trials before it can be considered scientifically validated.

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Conclusion

Python bile wasn't a folk myth, it was a formally documented treatment in traditional Chinese medicine for nearly a thousand years, used for conditions ranging from fever to genital ulcers. Some modern laboratory research does show early antibacterial activity in its compounds, but robust clinical evidence is still lacking, and health authorities caution against high doses given the real risk to the liver and kidneys.