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Engineering doi: 10.1016/j.eng.2023.09.017

Artificial Bear Bile: A Novel Approach to Balancing Medical Requirements and Animal Welfare

a State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
b The Second Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300250, China
c Zhongshan Belling Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Zhongshan 528437, China
d Zhongshan Anshi Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zhongshan 528437, China
e WestChina-Frontier Pharma Tech Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610041, China
f Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China

Received: 2023-04-25 Revised: 2023-08-14 Accepted: 2023-09-24 Available online: 2023-11-20

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Abstract

Bear bile has been a valuable and effective medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for over 13 centuries. However, the current practice of obtaining it through bear farming is under scrutiny for its adverse impact on bear welfare. Here, we present a new approach for creating artificial bear bile (ABB) as a high-quality and sustainable alternative to natural bear bile. This study addresses the scientific challenges of creating bear bile alternatives through interdisciplinary collaborations across various fields, including resources, chemistry, biology, medicine, pharmacology, and TCM. A comprehensive efficacy assessment system that bridges the gap between TCM and modern medical terminology has been established, allowing for the systematic screening of therapeutic constituents. Through the utilization of chemical synthesis and enzyme engineering technologies, our research has achieved the environmentally friendly, large-scale production of bear bile therapeutic compounds, as well as the optimization and recomposition of ABB formulations. The resulting ABB not only closely resembles natural bear bile in its composition but also offers advantages such as consistent product quality, availability of raw materials, and independence from threatened or wild resources. Comprehensive preclinical efficacy evaluations have demonstrated the equivalence of the therapeutic effects from ABB and those from commercially available drained bear bile (DBB). Furthermore, preclinical toxicological assessment and phase Ⅰ clinical trials show that the safety of ABB is on par with that of the currently used DBB. This innovative strategy can serve as a new research paradigm for developing alternatives for other endangered TCMs, thereby strengthening the integrity and sustainability of TCM.

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