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Claim: A Facebook user claimed that epilepsy is caused by witchcraft and that a combination of dog meat, jatropha roots, and dry gin can cure the sickness.
Verdict: Misleading. Epilepsy is not caused by witchcraft, and there is no scientific evidence that a mixture of dog meat, white jatropha roots, and dry gin can cure epilepsy.
Full Text
A Facebook user, Chief Priest CP, shared an explanatory video (archived here) in which he said epilepsy is caused by witchcraft and that dog meat, jatropha roots and dry gin serve as a cure for the condition.
In the five-minute video, the man said, “Epilepsy is a sickness that is mostly caused by witchcraft. It is a sickness that people can buy as a charm and send to you. Go and get a fresh dog. Find someone to kill it for you. If they kill it for you, make sure that you get one or two kilos of the dog, remove the bones. You also need a handful of jatropha roots; cut them into pieces and put them in a pot, then add the dog meat and add dry gin to cook it.”
He adds that the cooking time should be 20 to 30 minutes, without spices. He also stresses that people should not go out at midnight, as it is an ailment that can be contracted through witchcraft.
The post’s caption reads, “How to cure Epilepsy.”
The video shows a phone number with a Ghana country code (+233) displayed throughout, suggesting the remedy may be promoted or sold.
As of Oct. 12, 2026, the claim had 3,300 likes, 210 comments, 674 shares, and 200,000 views.
DUBAWA checked the comments to see what other users thought about the claim.
@Shuaibu Bukari replied, “Thank you, but what if the person does not eat dog?”
@Dosu Abel, who seemed interested in knowing more, asked, “You did not give the dosage of how the person will use it.”
@Adebayo Babyfac also inquired, “Prof. After cooking and done, what are you going to do with the meat and gin?”
From the responses, DUBAWA observed that many comments came from people interested in the suggested remedy and willing to try it.
The same claim was shared here and here.
Given this is a public health issue and its wide reach, DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim and examine the evidence behind the supposed cure.
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a medical condition of the brain. The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes it as a chronic noncommunicable disease of the brain that affects people of all ages, and it estimates that around 50 million people worldwide have it. The WHO defines epilepsy as having two or more unprovoked seizures. Seizures themselves are brief episodes whose characteristics vary depending on where in the brain the disturbance first starts and how far it spreads.
Claim 1: Epilepsy is a sickness that is mostly caused by witchcraft.
Verdict: False.
The WHO says that although many underlying disease mechanisms can lead to epilepsy, the cause is still unknown in about 50% of cases globally. Where the cause is known, it falls into structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, and immune categories.
Documented examples by WHO include brain damage from loss of oxygen or trauma during birth, severe head injury, stroke, brain infection, certain genetic syndromes and brain tumours. In tropical areas, central nervous system infections are common causes of epilepsy.
DUBAWA spoke to Wale Abiola, a neurologist at the National Hospital, Abuja, who said that epilepsy has long been associated with witchcraft. According to him, this is one reason many people seek local or spiritual solutions, especially when they feel medical professionals do not offer a clear solution.
“Not to discredit people’s spiritual beliefs or the reasons why they choose to handle ailments through those means, but witches do not cause epilepsy. It is simply a neurological disorder that starts in different people through different ways,” he said.
Claim 2: Dog meat, Jatropha roots, and dry gin cure epilepsy?
Verdict: Misleading.
DUBAWA searched PubMed and found no study showing that eating dog meat, jatropha roots, or dry gin treats or cures epilepsy in humans. The search returned only five results, none of which examined dog meat as a treatment. Also, no health body, including the WHO, lists dog meat as a treatment.
Studies on dog meat consumption show documented health risks, which makes it hard to see why it would be offered as a cure for anything. A study in Ghana detected rabies virus in apparently healthy dogs slaughtered for human consumption and observed butchers handling the meat with bare hands. Another study in Kogi State, Nigeria found rabies antigen in 11 of 203 brain samples from dogs slaughtered for food.
The second ingredient, Jatropha roots, also has no proven link to epilepsy treatment. However, the plant has a place in traditional medicine. A study of Jatropha species used in African traditional medicine says that the root and root bark, among other parts of the plant, are of medicinal relevance.
A Ghanaian study in mice reported anticonvulsant activity in extracts from the roots and leaves of a related species, Jatropha gossypiifolia. Its authors noted a lack of data and the need for stronger scientific support, but the work did not mention testing boiled Jatropha roots on humans, nor did it discuss a mixture of dog meat and gin to cure epilepsy.
The Epilepsy Foundation adds that none of the herbal remedies used for epilepsy has been proven safe and effective, and some can make seizures worse.
Research has also shown that some Jatropha species can be toxic. The Hong Kong Hospital Authority’s toxic plant database lists the seeds of Jatropha curcas as the poisonous part, naming curcin and phorbol esters as the toxic constituents. It notes that poisoning features include muscle twitching and convulsions. A case summary in the Journal of the Indian Society of Toxicology says that despite its purported medicinal properties, the whole plant is toxic, mainly because of toxalbumins such as curcin.
The third ingredient, dry gin, does not treat epilepsy and can work against it. The Epilepsy Foundation says small amounts of alcohol do not cause seizures. However, binge drinking and withdrawal can cause seizures, and moderate to heavy alcohol use is never recommended for people with epilepsy. According to Medical News Today, alcohol may also affect anti-seizure medications. The video gives no quantity of gin, a gap commenters also noted, so viewers have no guide on how much to drink.
By contrast, the WHO says that up to 70% of people with epilepsy could live seizure-free with appropriate use of antiseizure medicines. The video’s recipe offers no such evidence.
On seizure treatment/management, the neurologist told DUBAWA that although epilepsy is not always curable, it can be effectively managed with appropriate treatment. He noted that understanding seizure triggers is an important part of managing the condition.
“These triggers can include flashing lights in some people, stress, dehydration, and the use of certain drugs or alcohol,” he noted.
The expert further explained that alcohol can affect brain function, disrupt sleep, and alter blood sugar levels. It may also interact with antiseizure medications and increase their side effects.
He clearly debunked the cures mentioned by the claimant, stating, “None of the remedies that this person says would cure epilepsy has been scientifically proven. That is why people like this would always involve the spiritual aspect because they believe it would draw the attention of people away from the medical side of it.”
Adamu Bashiru, a psychiatrist and counsellor at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kano State, explained that the goal of epilepsy treatment is to achieve freedom from seizures rather than worsen the condition.
“First of all, all of these remedies provided by this Facebook user have one or two issues that a patient with epilepsy would not be advised to take. This is so because, far from the drugs given to patients to control episodes, there are also therapeutic measures that patients would be advised not to take, like resting and sleeping more, not taking alcohol, as well as avoiding any food or activity that may alter the process of stabilising the patient,” he explained.
Adamu also said people with epilepsy who take their medications and receive appropriate care have a high chance of becoming seizure-free.
“Above all, I advise that people experiencing seizures seek care at a hospital. Using unverified or not clinically tested and proven mixtures for such a delicate issue may end up making it worse and may not stop the seizures as well,” Adamu concluded.
Conclusion
The claim that epilepsy is caused by witchcraft and that dog meat, jatropha roots, and dry gin can cure it is false. Research and medical experts do not support the claim.