AS the coronavirus outbreak that originated from a market in Wuhan that sold live wild animals sweeps the globe, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners have rubbished claims that bushmeat has healing properties. 

Malaysian TCM practitioners told The Malaysian Insight there is no scientific basis to claims that certain meats can be aphrodisiacs or have medicinal value.

Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Associations Malaysia (FCPAAM) president Dr Ng Po Kok said even mass consumption meats like poultry and beef can carry pathogens that cause bird flu and mad cow disease.

“The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) outbreak has shown that viruses and bacteria evolve. It is dangerous to consume such meat for medicinal value, as we don’t know the effects,” Ng said.

Much of the appeal of wild meat is its exoticness, without taking into account the hazards, he said.

The market in Wuhan that is linked to the virus sold bats, snakes, civets, marmots, pheasants and birds, among others.

Some Chinese believe civets, monkey brain and bear paws have medicinal properties.

“Wildlife live in forests, and we don’t know what kind of viruses and bacteria breed there. Are there any checks conducted before cooking? Or do people just consume blindly?” Ng said.

He acknowledged that consumption of such meats was deeply rooted in a culture based on anecdotal medicinal claims passed through generations. 

Another TCM physician, Lee Kae Liang, said ancient Chinese beliefs on the medicinal value of wild meat covered only certain animals and are used sparingly.

He said a 15th century book on herbology, The Compendium of Materia Medica, recorded deaths caused by eating bats.

“Li Shizhen, the great physician of the Ming dynasty, has also warned that some animals can only be used as medicine.”

The problem with modern-day consumers, however, is that wildlife is eaten as common food.

Specific context

Ng said certain wildlife meats were consumed in China in the past because of the four seasons.

Wild game is considered a “heaty” meat and locals ate it to keep themselves warm.

But eating it excessively can cause sore throats, nosebleeds, headaches and fevers, Ng said.

He said it is better if people kept a healthy lifestyle by observing good hygiene, getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet, rather than consuming wildlife.

“One should always be aware of the condition of their body and not blindly listen to rumours.” 

Lee said bushmeats or supplements derived from them may not have the nutritional value that they claim.

Eating “normal” meats, such as poultry, pork, beef, lamb and fish, is enough to fulfil a person’s protein needs, Lee said.

Changing times

Ng said greater awareness on the risks of bushmeat and concerns about animal conservation have led Chinese traditional medicine researchers to work on herb-based substitutes for wildlife-derived cures.

He doesn’t advocate the consumption of wildlife to protect endangered species.

Consumers should not take traditional Chinese medicines like over-the-counter conventional drugs.

“TCM remedies are curated based on each person’s body and health issues,” he said.

Ng and Lee said people should not take such remedies without consulting TCM physicians.

The explosion of fake prescriptions and remedies on the internet since the coronavirus outbreak worries Ng.

Some of these purported remedies include the Shuang Huang Lian herbal formula as well as garlic water.

He said some traditional herbal remedies may be good to relieve mild colds or sore throats, but “these are suitable for only minor conditions”.

“If the condition is serious, it is always best to see a doctor,” he added.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, social media has been awash with posts blaming Chinese for starting the outbreak because of wildlife consumption, with photos of people eating bat soup and live rats.

It prompted China’s ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian to say in an interview that only a small number of people in his country eat exotic meats, and that the Chinese government had started inculcating awareness on the risks of eating wild animals.

However, the fact that the virus outbreak started from a market that sold exotic wildlife shows that such habits die hard, even if among a few.

Lee said another disease of zoonotic origin, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which started in southern China in 2003, should have been a lesson not to consume such meats. – February 6, 2020.