TY - JOUR
T1 - Substitutes for Bear Bile for the Treatment of Liver Diseases
T2 - Research Progress and Future Perspective
AU - Li, Sha
AU - Tan, Hor Yue
AU - Wang, Ning
AU - Hong, Ming
AU - Li, Lei
AU - Cheung, Fan
AU - Feng, Yibin
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was partially supported by the research council of the University of Hong Kong (Project codes 104002889 and 104003422), Wong’s donation (Project code 200006276), Pong Ding Yueng Endowment Fund for Education & Research in Chinese-Western Medicine (Project code 20005274), and UGC Matching Grant Scheme (4th Phase, Project code 20740314).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Sha Li et al.
PY - 2016/3/21
Y1 - 2016/3/21
N2 - Bear bile has been a well-known Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Because of the endangered species protection, the concept on substitutes for bear bile was proposed decades ago. Based on their chemical composition and pharmacologic actions, artificial bear bile, bile from other animals, synthetic compounds, and medicinal plants may be the promising candidates to replace bear bile for the similar therapeutic purpose. Accumulating research evidence has indicated that these potential substitutes for bear bile have displayed the same therapeutic effects as bear bile. However, stopping the use of bear bile is a challenging task. In this review, we extensively searched PubMed and CNKI for literatures, focusing on comparative studies between bear bile and its substitutes for the treatment of liver diseases. Recent research progress in potential substitutes for bear bile in the last decade is summarized, and a strategy for the use of substitutes for bear bile is discussed carefully.
AB - Bear bile has been a well-known Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Because of the endangered species protection, the concept on substitutes for bear bile was proposed decades ago. Based on their chemical composition and pharmacologic actions, artificial bear bile, bile from other animals, synthetic compounds, and medicinal plants may be the promising candidates to replace bear bile for the similar therapeutic purpose. Accumulating research evidence has indicated that these potential substitutes for bear bile have displayed the same therapeutic effects as bear bile. However, stopping the use of bear bile is a challenging task. In this review, we extensively searched PubMed and CNKI for literatures, focusing on comparative studies between bear bile and its substitutes for the treatment of liver diseases. Recent research progress in potential substitutes for bear bile in the last decade is summarized, and a strategy for the use of substitutes for bear bile is discussed carefully.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84964838278&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1155/2016/4305074
DO - 10.1155/2016/4305074
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84964838278
SN - 1741-427X
VL - 2016
JO - Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
JF - Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
M1 - 4305074
ER -
