The Legacy and Crisis of Porcupine Bezoar: Exposing the Side Effects of Counterfeits—Before This Ancient Remedy Disappears Again (Part 3)

Beware of Fake Porcupine Bezoars and Their Side Effects

Counterfeit porcupine bezoars are often adulterated with various harmful substances, and consumers need to exercise high caution.

1. Synthetic Steroids: Short-Term "Miracle" Effects, Long-Term Harm

To create the illusion of immediate efficacy, some unscrupulous sellers add steroids or other hormonal substances to fake porcupine bezoars. While these drugs may temporarily relieve inflammation, long-term consumption can lead to serious health consequences:

• Endocrine disruption, including adrenal suppression and hormone imbalances
• Immune system impairment, increasing susceptibility to infections
• Metabolic disturbances such as weight gain, high blood pressure, and glucose intolerance
• Potential liver and kidney toxicity due to prolonged steroid exposure

Consumers should only purchase porcupine bezoars from reputable sources with verified laboratory testing to ensure safety and authenticity.

• Suppresses immune system function, leading to recurrent infections
• May cause osteoporosis, hypertension, and diabetes
• Induces endocrine disorders, potentially leading to Cushing's syndrome (characterized by obesity, facial puffiness ["moon face"], thin skin, acne, osteoporosis, etc.)
• Increases the risk of liver damage and gastrointestinal bleeding
• Promotes thrombosis, raising the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke

The so-called "quick effects" are actually achieved at the expense of overall health, representing a false sense of efficacy.

2. Painkillers: Masking Symptoms and Delaying Proper Treatment

Fake porcupine bezoars often contain pain-relieving drugs, such as acetaminophen (paracetamol), to mask pain and discomfort, providing temporary relief. However, long-term consumption can lead to serious health risks:

• Liver toxicity, especially with chronic or high-dose use
• Kidney damage and impaired renal function
• Potential gastrointestinal issues, including ulcers and bleeding
• Masking of underlying diseases, delaying accurate diagnosis and treatment

• May induce liver dysfunction and hepatocyte necrosis; in severe cases, it can lead to liver failure
• Can cause drug dependence, with symptom rebound upon discontinuation
• Masks underlying conditions, interfering with symptom assessment and delaying proper treatment
• Increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, especially with high-dose or long-term use
• May trigger acute kidney injury, potentially progressing to renal failure in severe cases
• Associated with male reproductive toxicity, potentially causing cryptorchidism and reduced testosterone levels
• Can cause drug allergy reactions, including rashes, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, anaphylactic shock

These "Temporary Reliefs" actually mask underlying health problems, delaying diagnosis and treatment, which can lead to serious consequences.

3. Gypsum and Cement: They only increase weight, but don't improve performance.

Some counterfeit porcupine bezoar products contain additives such as plaster, cement, or even bone ash, which are added to artificially increase their weight to generate exorbitant profits. These substances have no medicinal value and pose serious threats to human health.

• Digestive system damage: irritates the gastrointestinal mucosa, causing abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea
• Induction of digestive ulcers: long-term intake may lead to gastric ulcers or intestinal bleeding
• Heavy metal risk: gypsum and cement may contain lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals, potentially causing liver and kidney damage
• General discomfort: some individuals may experience rashes, headaches, dry mouth, and thirst
• Stone formation: excessive calcium intake from gypsum can lead to kidney stones
• Respiratory hazards: inhaling powder or cement particles may cause respiratory diseases such as chronic pharyngitis or lung irritation

These acts of adulteration are not only about defrauding consumers financially, but also represent a blatant disregard for their safety.

4. Climbing Plants: A potential source of allergies and poisoning.

Fake hedgehog jujube products often contain vines of the Gutu family, disguised as natural herbal ingredients to enhance a "herbal" image. However, this plant fiber has not undergone toxicological safety verification, and consumption may easily lead to the following health risks:

• Causes severe allergic reactions: such as skin rashes, itching, asthma, and difficulty breathing
• Leads to food poisoning: some cases show severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and even intestinal bleeding
• Harbors plant toxins: many vine plants contain natural alkaloids, which may cause chronic damage to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system
• Irritates the digestive tract: the coarse texture of ancient vine fibers may cause mechanical irritation, inflammation, or bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to gastrointestinal bleeding

These seemingly "natural" ingredients actually pose serious health risks; consumers should be wary of relying on the appearance of herbal products without proper verification.

5. Artificial Colorings: While they may look "pretty," they are actually "toxic and harmful."

To make fake porcupine bezoars look more realistic and visually appealing, unscrupulous manufacturers often use cheap, non-food-grade industrial-grade artificial colorings (such as carbon black and caramel color) for coloring. These colorings, however, pose several health risks.

• May contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic, which are highly toxic to the human body
• Long-term consumption can damage the nervous system and liver metabolic function, increasing the risk of chronic diseases
• May induce cancer: carcinogenic components in industrial dyes can promote cell mutations and tumor formation
• Can cause skin diseases and neurological/behavioral disorders, including skin allergies, attention deficits, and abnormal child development

This kind of "false advertising" not only offers no therapeutic benefits, but also poses long-term health risks.

6. MSG: The illusion of a "medicinal aroma"

In many counterfeit porcupine bezoars, manufacturers add MSG (monosodium glutamate) to mask the unpleasant odor of pharmaceutical ingredients or industrial chemicals, making the overall taste closer to that of genuine porcupine bezoar. However, MSG is not harmless.

• High doses may cause headaches, nausea, and blood pressure fluctuations, among other reactions
• May trigger "MSG Symptom Complex", presenting as facial flushing, sweating, throat swelling, chest pain, palpitations, and even shortness of breath
• For sensitive individuals, even small amounts can cause acute discomfort or allergic reactions

This artificially created "taste deception" actually poses a hidden threat to our health.

7. Shredded coconut: "Authentic taste," but a breeding ground for bacteria.

In some imitation porcupine bezoars, shredded coconut is used to mimic the texture and appearance of the natural fibers of real porcupine bezoar, thus enhancing its "authenticity". However, if the shredded coconut is not properly processed or stored, consuming it may pose the following health risks:

• Mold and bacterial growth, which can lead to food poisoning
• Gastrointestinal infections, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other discomforts

While coconut shavings may appear "natural," they can actually become carriers of bacteria and toxins, posing a potentially greater risk to people with weak immune systems.

8. Baking powder: The hidden health risks behind the "fluffy" illusion

Baking powder is often used to increase the volume and fluffiness of imitation porcupine bezoars, making them look more appealing, but this actually hides potential health risks. Those who consume them may experience:

• Acid reflux and electrolyte imbalance, especially in individuals with hypertension or kidney disease who are more sensitive.

Typically, fake pangolin-scale powder products not only contain baking powder but also a mixture of other low-quality ingredients; these "synergistic effects" can cause serious harm to the body, including but not limited to:

• Toxic accumulation
• Immune system dysfunction
• Digestive system damage
• Metabolic imbalance
• Increased risk of cancer

Even more concerning is that the process of making these fake porcupine bezoars may involve the addition of other toxic substances, posing a serious threat to the health and safety of consumers. There have been numerous cases where people have suffered health problems or even worsened their illnesses after mistakenly consuming these fake products. For example, a terminally ill cancer patient purchased fake porcupine bezoars at a high price-even higher than the real ones-and died shortly after taking them. Although the family later confirmed that the death was caused by the fake bezoars, they found it difficult to seek legal redress.

This tragedy is certainly not an isolated incident. Please be very careful when purchasing these products; don't risk paying a high price for something that is fake or of poor quality. If you would like to learn more about how to identify genuine pangolin scale products, please feel free to contact our expert team for further information.

References:

1. Dr Victor: The Revered Book of Porcupine Bezoar
2. Muhammad Yasir, Amandeep Goyal & Sidharth Sonthalia 《Corticosteroid Adverse Effects》
3. McCrae JC et al. 《Long-term adverse effects of paracetamol - a review》
4. Rai Anuradha,Mittal Medha & Mittal Santosh 《Accidental Ingestion of Plaster of Paris Causing Thermal Injury of the Esophagus and Stomach in a Toddler》
5. Lewis K, Sheasgreen C & Alhazzani W 《Cement Powder Ingestion: Case Report and Review of the Literature》
6. Eurofins India 《Illegal Dyes》
7. Ktnderlerer, J.L. & Clark, R.A. 《Microbiological quality of desiccated coconut》
8. Yang, W. H. et al. 《The monosodium glutamate symptom complex: assessment in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study》
9. Hughes, A., Brown, A., & Valento, M. 《Hemorrhagic Encephalopathy From Acute Baking Soda Ingestion》
10. Ms. Lin Ai-hsuan"Unveiling the Truth About Porcupine Thorn Fruit: Its Amazing Detoxifying Properties Spark a Buying Frenzy - How to Distinguish Genuine from Fake"

Written by Dr Victor Team