Ox Gallstones Syria

Ox gallstones Syria – also known as bezoars – have been used in Chinese herbal medicine for more than 2,500 years. They contain calcium bilirubinate, which has anti-inflammatory, sedative, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, and antibacterial properties.

In China, ox gallstones are still used as a medicinal treatment for many conditions today. They are considered to be an effective cure for fever, colds, hepatitis and a range of other illnesses.

Origin

MONDAY’S report that a Queensland abattoir had been charged with stealing and selling cattle gallstones has aroused interest in the global meat industry. Beef processors have long been on the lookout for gallstones, which are small ox-cow stones that form in the gallbladder and bile ducts of cattle.

They are a byproduct of the cattle industry that slaughterhouses have started to cotton on to in the past 15 years, according to one dealer in the commodity. Gallstones have a value that is comparable to other animal byproducts such as hooves, blood and horns.

The market for cattle gallstones is driven by demand in Asia, where gallstones are used to make a variety of precious Chinese herbal medicines. These medicines are reportedly based on the properties of bilirubin, which Chinese medicine specialists believe can treat and cure a host of illnesses including heart disease, hepatitis and lung cancer.

There is a huge domestic demand for natural gallstones, however the supply is not sufficient for the needs of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry. This has resulted in the emergence of artificial gallstones to fill this gap.

But despite the lack of an adequate supply, the Chinese have a strong desire to use gallstones as part of their alternative medicine. As such, they are in high demand and their price is astronomical!

The price of ox gallstones has risen significantly over the last few years. They are now worth up to HK$19,000 for a tael, or US$65 per gram.

They can be found in a range of shapes and sizes, including round, egg shaped, square or pyramid shaped stones. The value of each stone depends on its dryness, colour, texture and size. Whole, smooth and lustrous specimens attract the highest prices.

Dark and pitted stones are of a reduced value. These can also contain calcium inclusions, which reduce their value.

Currently, there are a number of importers from Hong Kong looking for supplies of natural gallstones and they will pay top dollar for the best quality stones. But it’s unlikely the price will go down anytime soon.

Purpose

Throughout the world, cattle gallstones have long been prized for their purported medicinal benefits. From Ancient China to Persia, from Greece to Europe, they’ve been used for everything from bile to blood, and are often thought to help treat and prevent a range of ailments.

But they’re also a lucrative byproduct of the meat processing industry, with slaughterhouses now cottoning on to the rising market value of the rocks that form in the ducts of the gallbladder. The resulting rake of stones–a head-to-tail business model that turns horns, hooves, blood and bones into cash for the abattoir–is now worth an estimated $11.5 million USD to a family company in Australia, called Sunshine Trading.

The value of ox gallstones is dependent on the dryness, colour, texture and size of each individual stone. Whole, smooth, lustrous and golden specimens are usually able to command the highest prices. Dark and pitted stones, as well as those with calcium inclusions, are generally of a lesser value.

These are typically sold at the retail level. They can be sold in their natural state without being processed, or mixed into a proprietary Chinese medicine to increase the potency of the product.

Medically, gallstones are believed to be caused by high levels of cholesterol in the bile. Normally, your liver filters cholesterol from your blood and sends it into the bile ducts to be broken down by chemicals in your bile. But in some cases, too much cholesterol can build up in the ducts, making it impossible for the chemicals to dissolve and send the bile back down to your small intestine.

A backed-up supply of bile can also lead to an excess of bilirubin, a pigment in your blood that makes it look yellow. This bilirubin isn’t necessarily dangerous, but it can be hard for your body to digest and absorb and, in some cases, causes jaundice. Symptoms of bilirubin overproduction include nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

The good news is that your healthcare provider can easily detect whether you’re suffering from a build-up of bilirubin with an MRI. But if you have an abnormally high bilirubin level, you’ll probably need to see a specialist for a more thorough diagnosis. They might use a procedure known as magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, or MRCP, to visualize your bile ducts and determine whether you have a gallstone. If the MRCP finds a stone, your doctor might decide to go ahead and perform an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which uses a thin scope to insert through your mouth to reach your bile ducts.

Preparation

In China, ox gallstones are in high demand as a precious Chinese herbal medicine. They are sold as natural gall stones or combined with other ingredients as a proprietary Chinese medicine.

The price of the ox gallstones is very high. For example, a small pellet costs around US$195.

Ox gallstones are harvested from oxen raised in the central regions of China. They are the most valuable biles and can be used to treat fevers, jaundice, hepatobiliary disorders and liver inflammation.

There are different types of ox gallstones and the quality of individual ones depends on their dryness, colour, texture and size. Whole, smooth, golden specimens attract the highest price.

Dark and pitted stones as well as those with calcium inclusions are of reduced value.

To extract the gallstones from cattle’s intestine, they are washed thoroughly with cold water in order to remove blood clots, impurities etc. They are then dried for two to three weeks in a dark and well ventilated environment at 20 degrees Celsius.

The stones have to be moved regularly in the drying process in order to avoid them sticking together. They are then packed in hermetically sealed bags.

In the ancient Chinese medicine literature, ox gallstones were prescribed for infantile convulsions (polydipsia, diarrhea and vomiting). They also were cited to treat nocturnal comas caused by fear, e.g., “the ox roars, its body is luminous and it vomits up its gallstones”.

According to Tao Hong-Jing’s Records of Famous Physicians, an ox suffering from ox gallstones “roars constantly” and its ‘luminescent’ appearance is due to the presence of calcium bilirubinate.

The ox gallstones were also believed to be more valuable than gold, and they were considered an indispensable drug for a variety of diseases. They were recommended to cure febrile adolescent convulsions, pyogenic tonsillitis, bronchitis, and rheumatism[4].

In the last fifteen years, abattoirs have cottoned on to the increasing market value of gallstones, a cattle byproduct. They’ve turned it into a lucrative commodity, and beef processors have had to adapt to the new business model.

Storage

There is a big business to be made in the storage and marketing of ox gallstones. Not only are they a rare and precious Chinese herbal medicine but they have become a popular Chinese alternative treatment for ailments such as hepatitis, heart disease and lung cancer.

Ox gallstones have been used in a variety of ways from Chinese medicinal cocktails to cosmetic and beauty treatments. They are also known to provide an anti-aging boost, improve the immune system and lower blood pressure.

After being extracted from cattle’s intestines, the gallstones are washed thoroughly to remove any excess blood or impurities. They are then dried in a well ventilated dark room at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius for two to three weeks.

The ox gallstones are then packaged in hermetically sealed bags for transportation to their destination. The most exciting part of the whole process is that they can be shipped from Syria to the United States at a relatively low cost with no customs hassles.

One company that has been making a killing with this nifty little gem is Sunshine Trading. Since 2003 they have raked in some 200 kg of the stuff, or about $11.5 million USD on the grey market, and it has earned them a name as the ox gallstones kings of Australia.

Ox Gallstones Syria