Xiamen Customs conducts an inspection of some imported bezoar. [Photo/Fujian Daily]
Under the supervision of Xiamen Customs, a shipment of 200 grams of natural bezoar from Argentina, declared for import by Zhangzhou Pien Tze Huang Pharmaceutical, has entered China via air transport through Xiamen Port.
This marks China's first import of natural bezoar since the joint pilot policy was launched in April last year by the National Medical Products Administration and the General Administration of Customs. This permits the import of bezoar for use in the production of Chinese patent medicines. Fujian, as one of the first pilot regions to test the scheme, played a key role in this milestone.
Natural bezoar is derived from dried gallstones found in the gallbladder or bile ducts of bovines. It is used in many traditional Chinese medicinal formulas and serves as an essential ingredient in producing precious Chinese patent medicines such as Pien Tze Huang.
However, the formation of natural bezoar is accidental, with an extremely low probability of occurrence, making mass production unattainable.
Argentina boasts a well-developed beef cattle farming industry. This import marks the opening of a promising supply channel for natural bezoar in China, ensuring the stability of raw materials for precious Chinese patent medicines, stabilizing domestic bezoar prices, and supporting the development of traditional Chinese medicine.