Metabolic derangements and reduced survival of bile-extracted Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Across China and Southeast Asia, an estimated 17,000 bears are currently farmed for bile, primarily for traditional medicines. Depending on country, bile is extracted daily via transabdominal gallbladder fistulas, indwelling catheters, or needle aspiration. Despite claims that bears do not develop adverse effects from bile extraction, health issues identified in bears removed from bile farms include bile-extraction site infections, abdominal hernias, peritonitis, cholecystitis, hepatic neoplasia, cardiac disease, skeletal abnormalities, and abnormal behaviors. We present a comprehensive assessment of the effects of bile farming by comparing serum biochemical and hematological values of bears from farms that were bile-extracted (BE) and bears from farms not bile-extracted

SUBMITTER: Bando MKH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6661835 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature