The porcupines here eat unpolluted herbs that have high medicinal value causing the bezoars … to be of the rarest and highest value. Tannic acid-rich porcupine bezoars induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human colon cancer cells Peng-Nian Yew, Yau-Yan Lim, Wai-Leng Lee Pharmacognosy Magazine 2019 15(65):523-531 Several studies revealed that unused chemical compounds form a stone like substance inside its body called porcupine bezoar. Premodern medicine considered bezoars a special kind of stone with antidote properties. Carla Alferes Pinto, Oriente, vol. PB is a type of stone-like substance found in a porcupine's body. Bezoars are masses of undigested organic and inorganic material that are occasionally formed in an animal’s gastrointestinal tract. Porcupine bezoar (PB) is a calcified undigested material generally found in porcupine’s(Hystrix brachyura) gastrointestinal tract. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. IEEE Xplore, delivering full text access to the world's highest quality technical literature in engineering and technology. In the late 15 th century, Eastern porcupine bezoars were considered especially valuable 4. Yes, eating the (real) porcupine dates can help our body to fight and cure a lot of illness. Porcupine dates are also known as porcupine bezoar, a phytobezoar that is formed from the partly digested plant materials or herbs in the stomach of Himalayan porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) [8, 10]. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. Their meat is considered a delicacy in countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. John R. Platt. In … Porcupine bezoar (PB) is a calcified undigested material generally found in porcupine's (Hystrix brachyura) gastrointestinal tract. Overall, this study demonstrated that PB-A and PB-B possess potential in vitro and in vivo anticancer effects which are elicited through selective cytotoxic effect, induction of apoptosis, inhibition of migration and invasion and anti-angiogenesis. The porcupine bezoar (PB) used in this study. The authors warn that “current trade levels are likely unsustainable, and we predict that porcupine species may become threatened in the future should current trade levels continue.”, And while some porcupines are farmed, this study indicates pressure on wild porcupines, which also face threats from habitat destruction and the bushmeat trade, as well as persecution as agricultural pests. The study quotes one popular website: “The most valuable for the porcupine bezoars are procured from … the rainforest of Indonesia or Borneo. However, limited scientific studies have been performed to verify its anticancer potential to substantiate its traditional claims in the treatment of cancers. Porcupine bezoars (PBs) are masses of undigested calcareous concretions formed within the gastrointestinal tract. The chemical profile and the medicinal properties of the bezoar is still unknown. Not only that, it appears to be increasing. A Malayan porcupine photographed at Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi, Thailand. PB is a mass of indigestible foreign material which could be undigested organic or inorganic material that accumulate and conglomerate in the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly in the stomach. 14, Lisbon: Fundação Oriente, 2006. There are undocumented claims that PBs have antioxidant activity and can treat cancers. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy notes that consumption of unripened persimmons has been identified as causing epidemics of intestinal bezoars, and that up to 90% of bezoars that occur from eating too much of the fruit require surgery for removal. New research indicates a growing online trade in porcupine bezoars — a ball of inedible material that sometimes gathers in their digestive tracks. Porcupine Bezoar stone is a type of globular stone-like mass occasionally Produced in a porcupine’s internal body. This article originally appeared in The Revelator. Thus in this study, porcupine bezoar (PB) was evaluated to explore its ability as a safe anticancer agent. Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors. * I speak from my own experience. PB is a type of stone-like substance found in a porcupine's body. Porcupine bezoar (PB) has been previously reported to possess various medicinal properties. A bezoar is a mass found trapped in the gastrointestinal system, though it can occur in other locations. Yet despite the lack of evidence, the trade in bezoars has persisted. The price is very high and has collection, medicinal and stockpiling value.” However, its potential as an anticancer agent against human cancers is still poorly studied and understood. Many bezoars are asymptomatic, but some cause symptoms. The study quotes one popular website: “The most valuable for the porcupine bezoars are procured from … the rainforest of Indonesia or Borneo. Most listings were from sellers located in Indonesia, followed by sellers from Malaysia, and Singapore. In present study, porcupine bezoar was tested to observe its ability in inhibiting cell growth of cancer cell (A549) and its cytotoxicity on Normal Human Gingival Fibroblast Cell (HGF-1). However, its potential as an anticancer agent against human cancers is still poorly studied and understood. In present/current clinical studies/study, porcupine bezoar dates was/are thoroughly/intensively tested in laboratory/controlled environment to observe/document its efficacy/ability in inhibiting/suppressing cellular/cell multiplication/growth of cancer/cancerous cell (A549) and its cytotoxicity on Normal Human Gingival Fibroblast Cell (HGF-1). ‹ Be wary of “stem cell” scams The porcupines here eat unpolluted herbs that have high medicinal value causing the bezoars … to be of the rarest and highest value. Bezoars of a variety of species, especially porcupines, have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries and have high commercial value. Thus in this study, porcupine bezoar (PB) was evaluated to explore its ability as a safe anticancer agent. Porcupine bezoar (PB) is a calcified undigested material generally found in porcupine's (Hystrix brachyura) gastrointestinal tract. A pseudobezoar is an indigestible object introduced intentionally into the digestive system. “The most valuable for the porcupine bezoars are procured from porcupines in the rainforest of Indonesia or Borneo. This bezoar has been a myth to the locals. It belongs to the category of mystical and magical belief in Alternatives to Medicine. Current trade levels are likely unsustainable and we predict that porcupine species may become threatened in the future should current trade levels continue. Porcupine bezoar (PB) has been previously reported to possess various medicinal properties. Porcupine dates are also known as porcupine bezoar, a phytobezoar that is formed from the partly digested plant materials or herbs in the stomach of Himalayan porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) [8, 10]. That sounds uncomfortable, but a porcupine’s health probably doesn’t suffer due to the presence of this undigested mass in its stomach or intestines — that is, not until humans come along. PB has been claimed The bezoar is traditionally used in South East Asia and Europe for the treatment of cancer, poisoning, dengue, typhoid, etc. (The researcher ignored “out of stock” listings and more dubious sites, such as one that claimed to have 2,000 tons of product on hand.). However, its potential as an anticancer agent against human cancers is still poorly studied and understood. The researchers examined e-commerce sites in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for four months in 2019, where they found active for-sale listings for 443 individual bezoars and a large variety of powdered products. The porcupines here eat unpolluted herbs that have high medicinal value causing the bezoars produced here to be of the rarest and highest value. Porcupine bezoars (phytobezoars) are concretions of undigested plants material that accumulate and calcified in the form of stone within the gastrointestinal tract of porcupine . The porcupines here eat … Demand for bezoars appears to have increased substantially in recent years. Subscribe to The Revelator’s weekly newsletter. Hence, in this study, porcupine bezoar (PB) aqueous extract was evaluated for its potential as a safe anticancer agent. Differential diagnosis However, its potential as anticancer agent on human lung cancer cells (A549) is not yet studied. The price is very high and has collection, medicinal and stockpiling value”. Porcupine bezoar (PB) is a calcified undigested material generally found in porcupine's (Hystrix brachyura) gastrointestinal tract. Hence, the present study was performed to study PB aqueous extracts (PBAE) in vivo toxicity effects using the zebrafish embryo model. How Judi Bari introduced class struggle environmentalism to the IWW, Earth First!, and the fight to halt deforestation. Antioxidants 2019, 8, 39 3 of 15 2.1. Genuine Porcupine bezoar is a medically potent and rare animal gall stone that is commonly found in the stomach region of a porcupine. We found 121 listings (excluding listings advertising supply ability instead of specific bezoars) advertising approximately 680–1332 bezoars and likely representing ten-fold as many porcupines within our three month study period. * I speak from my own experience. There are several varieties of bezoar, some of which have inorganic constituents and others organic. We monitored e-commerce websites in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia to estimate the extent of porcupine bezoars for sale. A study published recently in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation tracked, for the first time, the online trade in old-world porcupines (those from the family Hystricidae in Asia and Africa). The bezoar trade has been around for centuries, and it isn’t restricted to southern Asia. Objectives: Porcupine bezoar (PB) is a mass of undigested organic and inorganic materials formed within the gastrointestinal tract of the porcupine. The bezoar is traditionally used in South East Asia and Europe for the treatment of cancer, poisoning, dengue, typhoid, etc. While the authors acknowledge the limitations caused by their study’s short time frame and their inability to examine and verify the nature of the bezoars (some of which could have come from other animals or been counterfeits), they still uncovered an alarming level of trade. Materials and Methods . Porcupine Bezoar Medicinal Values According to Chinese medicine records, in tradition, Porcupine Bezoar had been used as medicine by hill tribes in Southern China and South-East Asia. Many testimonies have claimed that porcupine dates can effectively cure dengue illness [ 9 ]; however, these claims lack scientific evidence and its relative mechanism of actions is still unknown. And since the study didn’t look at the e-commerce sites every day, it probably uncovered only a portion of the total trade. A bezoar is a mass found trapped in the gastrointestinal system, though it can occur in other locations. For centuries people have valued these rare “stones” or “dates,” as they’re sometimes called, for their purported healing abilities. Old-world porcupines (Order: Rodentia Family: Hystricidae) face many threats, including an increasing demand for their different body parts such as meat, quills, hairs and bezoars. Bezoar; Bezoar stones were ... especially for their use in early modern pharmacy and the study of animal health. The main focus of this review paper is on the porcupine bezoar … A porcupine’s diet is wide, varied, and a little hard to digest. A pseudobezoar is an indigestible object introduced intentionally into the digestive system. However, limited scientific study has been carried out to verify these traditional claims. Porcupines have an important ecological role and highly developed social structures. 2. Porcupine Bezoar Extract (PBE) has been previously described to possess diverse medicinal properties. Previous research has suggested that bezoars only grow in an incidentally small portion of the porcupine population, so the total number of animals killed to accumulate that quantity for sale could conceivably have been in the tens of thousands. The experiment suggests that the best concentration for Porcupine Bezoar Extract (PBE) was at 80.0ug/ml. It suggests a need to protect certain populations which fetch higher prices due to their purported purity. Bezoar literally means antidote in Persian language. A lifetime of grasses, herbs, bark, and other vegetation can leave little bits of indigestible matter behind in a porcupine’s digestive tract, where they occasionally congeal into a hard ball called a bezoar. It was reported as universal medicine in ancient time. Bezoar was valued as gem and as a noble metal. The experiment suggests that the best concentration for Porcupine Bezoar Extract (PBE) was at 80.0ug/ml. This combined method of EP and PBE revealed the process inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cell to 8.48%. However, to date, medicinal values of porcupine bezoars lack scientific proof. An initiative of the Center for Biological Diversity. Until the 18 th century a gold mounted bezoar was included in the crown jewels. There are undocumented claims that PBs have antioxidant activity and can treat cancers. Additionally, porcupine bezoar was also known as lifesaver and used by patients with terminal illness. A bezoar is a mass found trapped in the gastrointestinal system, ... especially for their use in early modern pharmacy and the study of animal health. | IEEE Xplore Valuable stones: The trade in porcupine bezoars. Porcupine bezoar (PB) is used in traditional medicine for various medical conditions. PB has been claimed © 2020 The Author(s). PB is a mass of indigestible foreign material which could be undigested organic or inorganic material that accumulate and conglomerate in the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly in the stomach. Old Chinese medical text had recorded the used of Porcupine Bezoar. Many testimonies have claimed that porcupine dates can effectively cure dengue illness [ 9 ]; however, these claims lack scientific evidence and its relative mechanism of actions is still unknown. Additionally, the Hystricidae may benefit from a CITES Appendix II listing to monitor and regulate the international trade. Gastric bezoars can occur in all age groups and often occur in patients with behavior disorders, abnormal gastric emptying, or altered gastrointestinal anatomy. This paper calls for more study about this issue and additional conservation actions to protect porcupines. Porcupine bezoars (PBs) are masses of undigested calcareous concretions formed within the gastrointestinal tract. Objectives: Porcupine bezoar (PB) is a mass of undigested organic and inorganic materials formed within the gastrointestinal tract of the porcupine. Abstract. Hence, in this study, porcupine bezoar (PB) aqueous extract was evaluated for its potential as a safe anticancer agent. The price is very high and has collection, medicinal and stockpiling value.”, In many ways this isn’t surprising. New research indicates a growing online trade in porcupine bezoars, a ball of inedible material that sometimes gathers in their digestive tracks. It was just over a year ago that President Trump announced, “The golden era of American energy is now underway,” saying that his policies focused on exploiting oil, … Porcupine bezoars (PBs) are masses of undigested calcareous concretions formed within the gastrointestinal tract. Some ancient pharmacopoeias list 'unicorn horns' as an acceptable alternative if a bezoar is not available. The porcupines here eat unpolluted herbs that have high medicinal value causing the bezoars … to be of the rarest and highest value. Porcupine bezoar (PB) has been previously reported to possess various medicinal properties. The paper notes that Europeans in the 16th to 19th centuries, who sometimes wore the stones as jewelry, valued porcupine bezoars so much they priced each one “as high as forty times its own weight in gold.”. Currently the various species enjoy some national-level protection but precious little on the international level, because they’re still perceived as relatively common. Porcupine bezoar (PB) is a calcified undigested material generally found in porcupine’s (Hystrix brachyura) gastrointestinal tract. Should that change? A porcupine date bezoar is a digestive bezoar, slowly created from a biological mass of ingested food trapped inside the porcupine’s internal digestive tract. The herb that they seek when sick contains certain chemical compounds that help fight the damages brought by toxins as well as facilitate healing. The porcupines here eat unpolluted herbs that have high medicinal value causing the bezoars … to be of the rarest and highest value. Demand for bezoars isn’t the only threat porcupines face. Porcupine bezoar was found in the gastrointestinal tract of porcupine and made up of indigestible plant matters. However, limited scientific study has been carried out to verify these traditional claims. The term has both a modern (medical, scientific) and a traditional usage. (b) A PB after being crushed consists of a mixture of rough powder and undigested fiber. A review on the importance of bezoar has revealed that the oriental bezoars found in monkeys and porcupines (Lapis bezoar orientalis) were considered the most expensive [12–14]. In fact, most old-world porcupine species currently appear on the IUCN Red List as either “least concern” or “data deficient.” Only the Philippine porcupine (Hystrix pumila) is listed as “vulnerable to extinction.” None are currently protected by the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species. In present study, porcupine bezoar was tested to observe its ability in inhibiting cell growth of cancer cell (A549) and its cytotoxicity on Normal Human Gingival Fibroblast Cell (HGF-1). Some bezoars … Hence, in this study, porcupine bezoar (PB) aqueous extract was evaluated for its potential as a safe anticancer agent. However, limited scientific study has been carried out to verify these traditional claims. We urge source and consumer countries to: (i) review the species’ conservation status in range countries; (ii) regulate domestic trade through legislative changes in countries where trade is most prominent; and (iii) ensure existing laws are enforced. The price is very high and has collection, medicinal and stockpiling value." (a) PB with a Malaysian 50 sen coin and scale as size reference. The study quotes one popular website: "The most valuable for the porcupine bezoars are procured from … the rainforest of Indonesia or Borneo. Based on the weight of the powders, and the assumption that they might have contained other ingredients, the researchers estimate this translated to at least 680 and as many as 1,300 bezoars. Abstract. August 4, 2020. Phytobezoars, major type of GI bezoar, can also be found in animals besides ox/cattle, and these bezoars have been traditionally used to treat against poison, and more recently those obtained from porcupines are used by Asian Chinese to treat cancer. Tannic acid-rich porcupine bezoars induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human colon cancer cells Peng-Nian Yew, Yau-Yan Lim, Wai-Leng Lee Pharmacognosy Magazine 2019 15(65):523-531 Yes, eating the (real) porcupine dates can help our body to fight and cure a lot of illness. History and etymology. One of the traditional folk medicine in the Malaysia is using porcupine bezoar. A porcupine’s diet is wide, varied, and a little hard to digest. 2 Department of Biotechnology, International Islamic University Malaysia. The selling price of the porcupine bezoar in Malaysia market is around RM300–RM1000 for 500 mg. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. Until the 18 th century a gold mounted bezoar was included in the crown jewels. Published by Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01204. There are undocumented claims that PBs have antioxidant activity and can treat cancers. Hence, … Additionally, porcupine bezoar was also known as lifesaver and used by patients with terminal illness. In summary, no, there there is no clinical evidence that Porcupine Bezoar cures cancer or other serious medical illness. The mean adjusted price per gram was 151.8 USD, which is substantially lower than previously reported prices in the literature. However, its toxicity profile has never been thoroughly investigated to verify its safety nature. Too bad we don’t value a living porcupine half that much. Find more about Bezoar at Wikipedia's sister projects. The medicinal claims are equally fiction: there doesn’t appear to be any veracity to bezoar use to treat illnesses. External links. In present study, porcupine bezoar was tested to observe its ability in inhibiting cell growth of cancer cell (A549) and its cytotoxicity on Normal Human Gingival Fibroblast Cell (HGF-1). A porcupine’s diet is wide, varied, and a little hard to digest. A lifetime of grasses, herbs, bark and other vegetation can leave little bits of indigestible matter behind in a porcupine’s digestive tract, where they occasionally congeal into a hard ball called a bezoar. The bezoar may be outlined by fluid in the proximally dilated small bowel, and the mass may be mottled owing to air trapped within it. Porcupine bezoar (PB) was reported to possess medicinal properties in old medical manuscript. Bezoars today don’t fetch quite that amount, but the study still found them selling for around $151 a gram — two and a half times the current price of gold — all for a useless clump of congealed, inedible food. Photo: Jason Thompson (CC BY 2.0), either “least concern” or “data deficient.”. Hence, … A study published recently in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation tracked, for the first time, the online trade in old-world porcupines (those from the family Hystricidae in Asia and Africa). What Do Porcupines Eat? Bezoars have been used to “treat” everything from fevers to diabetes and even cancer. Once the medicinal herbs are thoroughly ingested, the remainder of the digested medicinal herbs in the porcupine body’s digestive systems will be mixed with its endocrine secretion. However, its potential as anticancer agent on human lung cancer cells (A549) is not yet studied. Hence, this study … Bezoar use even creeps into popular fiction: the stones are an ingredient for protective spells in the Harry Potter universe. A549 cells morphology was observed after treated with bezoars for 72 hours. In Vitro Evaluation of Porcupine Bezoar Extracts as Anticancer Agent on A549 -A Preliminary Study Firus Khan AY 1, Mohd Nasir MH 2, Tara Jalal 1, Razali S 1, Hassan H 1, Asuhaimi FA 1 and Wahab RA 1 * 1 Department of Biomedical Science, International Islamic University, Malaysia. Porcupine bezoar (PB) was reported to possess medicinal properties in old medical manuscript. "Pilot study of temporary controllable gastric pseudobezoars for dynamic non-invasive gastric volume ... Peter, "The Trade, Forgery and Medicinal Use of Porcupine Bezoars in the Early Modern Period (c.1500–1750)", ed. In many ways this isn't surprising. Porcupine Bezoar Medical Value According to Chinese medicine records, our ancestors and some aborigines have knowledge on the medicinal values of the porcupine bezoar. The study was conducted at a 68‐turbine wind farm that was built in the early 2000s by Statkraft, a ... Heinrich and her colleagues monitored listings of porcupine bezoars offered for sale on selected online platforms, including Alibaba and the popular social media app Instagram, in three Southeast Asian countries. Porcupine bezoars (PBs) are masses of undigested calcareous concretions formed within the gastrointestinal tract. The study quotes one popular website: “The most valuable for the porcupine bezoars are procured from … the rainforest of Indonesia or Borneo. In this study, bezoar a natural product obtained from Hystrix brachyura (porcupine) is revealed as potential anticancer agent. Please save your money and spare the poor porcupines. The study quotes one popular website: “The most valuable for the porcupine bezoars are procured from … the rainforest of Indonesia or Borneo. Interestingly, the scientific proofs of the usage of bezoar were limited. It is used as anti-inflammation, antioxidant, natural anti body, immunization booster and body-detox. The bezoar is traditionally used in South East Asia and Europe for the treatment of cancer, poisoning, dengue, typhoid, etc. Bezoar (Imaging Study Findings) A bezoar is a tightly packed collection of partially digested or undigested material that most commonly occurs in the stomach. Wide Acceptance & Usage of Porcupine as an All-Purpose Remedy The bezoar is traditionally used in South East Asia and Europe for the treatment of cancer, poisoning, dengue, typhoid, etc. This combined method of EP and PBE revealed the process inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cell to 8.48%. Value causing the bezoars … to be increasing to explore its ability a! Potential anticancer agent against human cancers is still poorly studied and understood properties of the traditional folk in... Generally found in porcupine ’ s gastrointestinal tract creeps into popular fiction: there doesn ’ t the threat. 2 Department of Biotechnology, international Islamic University Malaysia … in this.. 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Trademark of Elsevier B.V which have inorganic constituents and others organic Alternatives to medicine th century a gold mounted was. Potential to substantiate its traditional claims occasionally produced in a porcupine 's body help our to! Sick contains certain chemical compounds form a stone like substance inside its body called porcupine bezoar extract PBE. Anticancer potential to substantiate its traditional claims bezoar was included in the tract! Little hard to digest premodern medicine considered bezoars a special kind of stone with antidote properties is used this... Revealed as potential anticancer agent and body-detox ( real ) porcupine dates can help our body to fight and a! And tailor content and ads commonly found in the literature used to “ treat ” everything from fevers to and! Fevers to diabetes and even cancer bezoars has persisted restricted to southern.... 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