Pangolins Out Of Danger: Animals Excluded From Traditional Chinese Medicine

2023 Author: Abraham Higgins | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 23:16

Pangolins out of danger: animals excluded from traditional Chinese medicine

Chinese state media have announced that pangolins are officially excluded from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and will be under increased protection due to the threat of extinction.

Photo: CC0 Public Domain

The scales and some organs of the world's heaviest mammals have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to make medicinal potions. Although there is no scientific evidence for their therapeutic value, until recently, pangolins were in great demand in the wildlife markets.

Last Friday, the Chinese Forestry Administration announced a high level of threat of complete extermination of pangolins in the country, according to the Health Times. After that, the PRC authorities announced the exclusion of animals from the list of traditional Chinese medicine and increased protection by the state. Preparations based on bat feces were also excluded from the Pharmacopoeia of the PRC.

Recall that some scientists believe that pangolins and bats are potential sources of coronavirus. The molecular structure of SARS-CoV-2 differs significantly from the already known coronaviruses and resembles related viruses found in bats and pangolins. In addition, these animals have come under suspicion due to the fact that the first outbreak of infection most likely occurred in the seafood market in Wuhan, where they were also sold. For several months, China banned the sale of wild animals for human consumption, but trade for medicinal purposes continued.