☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat from the Heart and Liver and alleviates spasms (Liver Wind); Clears Heat and resolves Fire toxicity; Clears and drains Liver Heat and benefits the eyes; Clears Heat and eliminates childhood nutritional impairment
Traditional Chinese Uses
Xiong Dan (bear bile) is classically placed among the heat-clearing substances: bitter and cold, entering the Liver, Gallbladder, Heart, Spleen and Stomach channels. Traditional texts value it to clear Heat and cool the Heart and Liver, extinguish Liver Wind and relieve spasms in high fever with convulsions, resolve Fire toxicity in sores, jaundice and sore throat, drain Liver Heat to brighten the eyes (red, painful eyes and superficial visual obstruction), and reduce childhood nutritional impairment (gan) with worms.
Serious ethical and legal caveat: bear bile is taken from Ursus thibetanus and related bears, which are CITES Appendix I / threatened species, and its trade is banned or heavily restricted in most jurisdictions. It should not be sourced. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and other plant or synthetic bile substitutes are now used in its place.
Botanical Description
Xiong Dan is the dried gallbladder and bile of bears, historically derived from the Asiatic black bear Ursus thibetanus and the brown bear Ursus arctos. The fresh organ is sac-shaped, dark green-brown, and on drying yields a brittle, glassy, dark amber to black mass with a characteristic bitter taste, owing chiefly to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and other bile salts. Used in classical TCM to clear heat, calm convulsions, brighten the eyes, and resolve toxin, bear bile is one of the most strictly regulated substances in international wildlife trade: Ursus thibetanus and most Ursus species are listed in CITES Appendix I, prohibiting all commercial international trade in wild-caught material. Modern practice strongly favors synthetic UDCA (a licensed pharmaceutical for cholestatic liver disease) or plant-derived substitutes such as Coptis or Phellodendron to avoid contributing to the cruelty of bear farming and the depletion of wild populations.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
⚠ Safety & Contraindications
Safety Warnings
- Bear bile/gallbladder: sourced from endangered bears and largely illegal. Herbal substitutes (e.g. Huang Lian, Zhi Zi) are used clinically.
Regulatory Status
- CITES Appendix I; bear-bile trade heavily restricted/illegal in most jurisdictions.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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