As Effective As A Mother’s Kiss—
Turtles in Traditional Chinese Medicine
HerpDigest-Special Issue-6/10/14
by David S. Lee and and Liao Shi Kun. Originally published in 4/14 issue of
“Radiata.” Reprinted and distributed with permission of authors under
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
For additional information on how to contact authors, publication history,
reprint rights and “Radiata” see very bottom of article.
____________________________________________________________
The people of China have an ongoing fascination with turtles. It goes well
beyond the turtles’ role as a convenient food source. According to written
records the tradition of people eating turtles to obtain health benefits
extends back for over 3,000 years. The history of the medical used of
turtles is outlined in the Book of Change (I Ching, an alternate name for
the same book, is the most ancient of the Chinese philosophy books, and it
includes three millennia of information regarding Chinese medicine. The
author is unknown). Originally turtles were a food source for the noble
class that ruled China; they were worshiped as a gift of God and eaten at
royal banquets. Turtles are symbolic of long life, personal wealth,
fertility, strength, and happy households. In ancient China people from the
Emperor down all worshiped the turtle. In former ages turtles were regarded
as mysterious and at times as prophets. Citizens and slaves were not allowed
to eat turtles, and turtles were sometimes used as currency in the trade of
slaves. As time went on cooking techniques advanced and turtles became
regarded as a delicacy. Once slavery disappeared and China entered into a
feudal system (The Spring and Autumn Period, 700 BC-476 BC), eating turtle
was no longer just for the privileged and everyone began to eat them. This
was not simply another source of protein, and while turtles were consumed
along with domestic animals and other native wildlife, there were expected
side benefits derived from dishes prepared from turtles.
While the use of wildlife for medical purposes dates back thousands of
years, by Chinese standards it was not clearly defined until relatively
recently. During the Ming Dynasty, the famous Chinese doctor Li Shi Zhen
(1518-1593) wrote his Compendium of Material Medica, a text that became
physicians’ Bible. The text explains how turtles can be used to treat any
number of medical ailments. Subsequently various of Chinese authors have
expanded the concept of turtles’ healing powers, both for curing diseases
and maintaining health, as well as for the benefit of longevity. As are
result turtles have become ingrained in Chinese tradition. While other
wildlife is likewise attributed to have curing values, turtles have been
exploited in vast numbers because they can easily be shipped and stored
alive for long periods without refrigeration, and their shell parts can be
shelved and stored indefinitely.
Traditional cooking preparations would suggest to westerners that turtles
are regarded primarily for their food values, but this is not the case.
Today, as in the past, turtles are different than pork, beef and poultry;
Chinese people eat turtles not so much as a protein food source but for the
perceived health benefits that turtles are believed to provide.
Here we review some of the more common medical uses of turtles in
traditional Chinese medicine, comment on our current understanding of their
actual medical value and environmental concerns resulting from the mass
marketing of turtles in China. Our purpose is to provide a general overview
of various traditional medical uses of turtles.
In understanding the Chinese view of traditional medicine one must see why
so many people believe in the general importance of eating turtles for
treatment of specific medical issues. They are thought to strengthen the
body and ward off disease. When one is sick, various turtles, snakes, birds
and other consumed creatures are believed to have specific healing
properties. These beliefs are not actually that different than the use of
herbal medicines in other cultures. Approximately 90% of China’s modern day
society believes that traditional Chinese medicines work, and are supportive
of the exploitation of wildlife for their use. Culturally, marine turtles,
soft-shell turtles, and hard-shell freshwater turtles are recognized as
distinct commodities in Chinese medicine. The story is quietly evolving as
traditional medicine meets 21st century economics in a quickly emerging
economy.
[SIDEBAR: In Chinese Culture turtles are believed to have positive affects
on both yin and yang. A strange mixture of traditional philosophy, culture,
and medical/food supplements suggests that an equilibrium of the two is
provided by turtles, while most foods benefit only one or the other. Yang
foods make men more robust and increase sexual function, yin foods make
women healthy, radiant, and help to maintain youthful beauty. Consumption of
turtles is popular because it is believed to beneficially enhance yin as
well as yang.]
Major use of hard-shelled freshwater turtle parts for health and medical
benefits:
[The following is compiled from Materia Medica and other ancient Chinese
medicine books]
Turtle carapace and plastron: In ancient times the plastrons of yellow pond
turtles, Mauremys mutica, Chinese three-striped box turtles, Cuora
trifasciata, and Reeves’ turtles, Mauremys reevesii, were used to enrich yin
and tonify yang. The lower shell was believed to improve dual deficiency of
ying and yang, treat impotence, protect bones, and nourish the kidneys. It
was also used to cure hematemesis, cough, nocturnal emissions, menstruation
pain, back pain, bone atrophy, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, calcium deficiency,
and cancer. In modern times the carapace and plastron of any freshwater is
used. The shell is either ground into powder or cooked in water 15-30
minutes prior to adding herbs.
Turtle meat: Consumption of turtle meat, with blood added, is thought enrich
yin by a therapeutic method of supplementing yin fluid to and counteract
what is known as exuberant yang. It also serves as a preventative or cure
for bone disease, cough, hemoptysis, malaria, bloody stool, hemorrhoids, and
aching pain.
Turtle blood: The drinking of turtle blood, mixed with sugar and wine is
reported to cure prolapse of the rectum, bruises, bronchitis, cough, and asthma.
Turtle bile: Like turtle blood bile is mixed with sugar and wine and
prepared as a drink to cure ailments. Specifically, it is used help with
swelling of the eyes, irregular menstruation, cough, and asthma.
Turtle heads: Consumption of turtle heads is reported to help with cerebral
concussion, dizziness, headache, and prolapse of the rectum.
Turtle skin: Eating turtle skins is regarded as a remedy for various blood
diseases.
Turtle eggs: Turtle egg wine is prepared by adding unfertilized turtle eggs
into wine . This drink is used as supplement for blood, healing sprains, and
to enhance sexual function.
Turtle urine: Drops of turtle urine are placed in the ear as a treatment for
deafness and swine flue. It is also believed to be the secret of longevity.
According to a 2003 report an old man consuming turtle urine for many years
believed it was responsible for his long life (he was in the business of
selling turtle urine and honey mixtures for RMI 5/a cup). (Lin 2003) In
modern times people continue to believe that consumption of turtle urine is
an effective medicine.
The prominent species of turtles used in Chinese medicine:
Yellow pond turtle, Mauremys mutica: This is one of the major species bred
in turtle farms, and these turtles are highly promoted by the advertising
media. Their blood is used as a food additive to enhance the immune system,
lower cholesterol, lower blood viscosity, and slow hardening of the
arteries. They are used for patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy as this
species is believed to alleviate gastric side effects and other problems
resulting from chemotherapy. Reported to increase deficient white blood cell
counts to normal values.
Chinese three-striped box turtle, Cuora trifasciata: This turtle is the
species most valued for medical use and also the most expensive.
Millionaires in southern China like soup made from C. trifasciata as they
believe that it makes the body stronger. Eating these turtles is reported to
strengthen the immune system. They are used to treat gonorrhea and syphilis.
While most people in China have never seen a specimen of this turtle, the
species is widely known, and people like to talk about them, the high price
they command and their magical healing properties. The species is now
essentially extinct in the wild and as a result has almost become a
mythological creature. They now are raised in turtle farming operations but
still continue to command a high price. Cuora trifaiicata is also
commercially prepared as a drink and as a capsule. These products are used
to relieve work pressure, fatigue, neurasthenia, and insomnia, are believed
to help protect the liver, and to be an effective treatment for cancer. The
principal ingredient comes from captive stock bred on turtle farms, and
large farms may have as many as 2,000 breeding adults. Marketing of these
products seems to lack credibility as other species are often substituted
making local sales exceedingly difficult. The wine made from C. trifasicata
usually needs to have the actual turtle in the bottle in order for people to
believe the product is genuine. Still the commercial sale of these products
exceedingly difficult.
Yellow-margined box turtle, Cuora flavomarginata: In terms of medical value
this species is regarded as the second most important species. They are used
for detoxification, and the treatment of cancer, tuberculosis, hemorrhoids,
and chemotherapy-induced leucopenia. In addition to its medical properties
these turtles are also popular as household pets in parts of China. In the
past two years their price has doubled three times because sharp declines in
wild populations have decreased availability. Captive breeding is not
particularly successful for this species on Chinese turtle farms probably as
a result of their terrestrial behavior and aggressive interactions.
Chinese big-headed turtle, Platysternon megacephalum: Big-headed turtles are
used primarily for healing soups. Few remain in the wild, and captive
breeding programs are largely unsuccessful.
Reeves’ turtles, Mauremys reevesii: Reeves turtles still occur in the wild
and because of this it is now the single most important chelonian species
for providing raw materials for use in traditional medicine. Typically their
shells are dried and later ground into powder as a food additive. Because of
growing demand, this species is likely to become one of future conservation
concern.
Red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta elegans: Because they can be obtained
inexpensively, these imported sliders have become a common substitute for
rarer species in various forms of traditional medicine and food supplements.
Merchants typically fail to inform customers the identity of the turtle
parts they are selling, as most people do not recognize non-native turtles
as possessing effective medical properties. Liao and Lee (in press) review
the history of importation, and the current farming and marketing of
Trachemys in China. Today these turtles are available in nearly every
supermarket in the country.
Chinese soft-shell turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis: As the soft-shell most
commonly used in traditional medicine, vast numbers of this species are
raised on turtle farms to meet the demand for both health supplements and
food. The meat of soft-shells, with blood added is eaten to enrich blood, to
prevent and cure bone disease, chronic cough, hemoptysis, malaria, bloody
stool, hemorrhoids, aching pain, and to control irregular menstruation. The
carapace is used to soften stools, relieve constipation, for treating
hepatosplenomegaly, and to prevent irregular menstruation. Eating the heads
is believed to increase sexual function, prevent diarrhea and prevent rectal
and uterine prolapse.
Other turtles used in traditional medicine:
Marine turtles are believed to have unique medical benefits. The carapaces
of hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, are used much in the various
ways that rhinoceros and antelope horns are used in traditional medicine.
After capture the turtle is hung upside down, and boiling vinegar is poured
over the shell, the carapace scutes fall off and are ground into a powder.
An alternate method consists of heating the hawksbill shells on the pot,
until the surface becomes yellow. Then they are ground into powder, along
with herbs (Kai Bao Materia Medica 973-974 AD). This powder is believed to
lower blood pressure, relieve rheumatism, to help with detoxification, and
relieve hyperactivity of the liver and gallbladder issues. The meat of
leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea., and green turtles, Chelonia mydas, is
used to cure the same ailments as the meat of hard shelled freshwater turtles.
The three best-known species of turtles currently used for traditional
medicine are Chinese three-striped box turtles, Reeves’ turtles and
red-eared sliders. Even people who do not eat turtles or use them for
medical purposes know of these three species. Other turtles used in the
production of traditional medicines are now raised on turtle farms or
imported. They include, but are not limited to, Chinese stripe-necked
turtles, Mauremys sinensis, Southeast Asian box turtles, Cuora amboinensis,
four-eyed turtles, Sacalia quadriocellata, impressed tortoise, Manouria
impressa, and elongated tortoises, Indotestudo elongata. Originally turtles
reported to be used in Chinese medicine were locally available species, but
other Southeast Asian species were also available through ancient trade
routes. With modern transportation and a growing Chinese economy the numbers
of turtles from adjacent Asian countries finding their way into markets
became phenomenal. By the late 1990’s additional species were being imported
from the United States and other overseas countries. Because of the belief
that wild caught and native species had the greatest medical benefits,
importation of farmed exotic species was slow to develop and became
economically important only in the last decade as demand increased and local
stocks or native species were depleted or extirpated.
Common and popular turtle based medicines:
Turtle wine is used for treatment of impotence and the increase of sexual
function. There are numerous brands that target the male consumer. Companies
claim that wild turtles are used in its production in that it is widely
believed that farmed turtles do not have the same effectiveness. However, it
is generally assumed that most of the turtle wine currently being produced
is made from farmed stocks. The price of the various brands of commercially
produced turtle wine suggests that it is not made from wild caught turtles.
Tortoise jelly (also sold under names such as turtle shell gelatin, Guiling
Jelly, and Guilinggao) is a cream drink well known for its use in
traditional medicine. Tortoise jelly has an eight hundred year history
dating back to the early Qing Dynasty (1636-1911) when the Emperor declared
it to be a precious drug. It is made from Chinese big-headed turtles or
Chinese three-striped box turtles and various medical plants, and is used to
help with hyperactivity of the liver and gallbladder issues, for improvement
of blood and kidneys, muscle growth, relief of itchy shin, treatment of
acne, constipation, and also as a beauty product. Today it is no longer
reserved for royal families, and can be purchased from street venders. It is
a popular beverage in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces but the formula is no
longer dependent on big-headed, three-striped box turtles, or wild caught
turtles. Tortoise jelly is commonly exported to Southeastern Asia countries.
Turtle soup is made from hard-shelled turtles, typically with vegetable and
pork as additives. This is the most popular use of turtles in Chinese
restaurants and a favorite of government officials in the provinces of
southern China. Turtle soup is regarded both as a food and a medicine for
many aspects of life. It is perceived to enrich yin and tonify yang, as well
as a treatment for dual deficiency of yin and yang, and also to enrich
sexual function, enhance the immune system, detoxify and to heal eczema and
other sores. Soup prepared from soft-shelled turtles (primarily P. sinensis)
is a totally different item, and is made from the turtles and vegetables
without the pork additives. The medical values are perceived to be similar
to those of soup prepared from hard-shelled turtles. The majority of turtle
products are used in soups, comparatively modest numbers of turtles are used
in preparation medical capsules, injections or oral liquids.
The combination of the use of traditional and modern medicine deserves
special mention. While modern medicine is now typically recommended for
treatment of cancer and other serious medical issues, these treatments are
often combined with traditional medicine. For example, the consumption of
turtle is recommended for preventing cancer but not for its treatment. In
addition eating turtle is believed to reduce the side effects of
chemotherapy treatments.
Creating and meeting the demand for the marketing of turtles for traditional
Chinese medicine and health products.
In the early 1990’s when Chinese women of the Middle and Long Distance
Project broke world records and won many events in international track and
field competitions (1991-9th Asian Championships, 1992- World Youth
Athletics Championships, Barcelona Olympic Games, 1993- Track and Field
World Championships, 5th World Cup Marathon, 1994, Hiroshima Asian Games,
1995- Dalian International Marathon) their coach boasted that the athletes
had won their metals because they had been physically conditioned on a diet
of soft-shell turtles. The turtle diet assisted in rapid physical recovery
from the taxing training and competitive events. This resulted in an instant
demand for the turtles among the populace of China. Numerous soft-shell
farms were soon created and ‘soft-shell drink’ (a health product) was
widely marketed through the country. Prior to this hard-shelled freshwater
turtles held the major portion of the turtle market. In 1999 the maker of
the recently famed ‘soft-shell drink’ was exposed to a scandal resulting
from a visit by a news reporter to their production plant. There was
actually only a single turtle in the plant. The health drink was made almost
exclusively with sugar water. The negative media exposure put the
‘pharmaceutical company’ marketing the drink into bankruptcy. People became
suspicious of the special healing powers of soft-shelled turtles, and sales
of this and similar drinks went into decline. During this same period many
of the newly developed soft-shell farms suffered high mortality in their
breeding stocks because the technology for farming these turtles was not yet
well developed. This when combined with peoples’ suspicions regarding the
health benefits of these turtles and marketing credibility put many of the
newly created farms out of business.
By the end of 1996 some soft-shell farms began to have success in breeding
the turtles, and a number of other farms specializing in Reeves turtles or
red-eared sliders started to enter their products into the local food,
traditional medicine, and pet markets. Between 1996 and 2010 turtle farming
in China expanded and the current number of commercial turtle farms in China
is phenomenal (reviewed by Liao and Lee in press). Today the country has by
far the most extensive turtle farming operations in the world.
Shi et al. (2007) state the number of farms to be 1,000 with a stated value
exceeding one- billion US dollars. By the time of publication these authors
recognized that their 2002 survey greatly underestimated the magnitude of
the county’s farming effort. Liao and Lee (in press) suggest the actual
number could be as high as 120,000-150,000 individual farms. Shi et al
(2008) recognized and addressed the conservative nature of their assessment.
The discrepancy between their figures and current estimates results in part
from the lower number representing officially recognized farms; the larger
total includes undocumented farming operations that fall under the radar of
the country’s tax office. Liao and Lee (in press) supplement the survey of
Shi et al (2008) with information extrapolated from a number of independent
sources: Guangxi Province, more than 100,000 turtle farms, 400 in Hainan
Province with 270 hectares of farm ponds, 2,000-5,000 farms in Guangdong
Province with an annual output of 30,000 tons and a farm area of 4,000
hectares, 10,000 farms in Zhejiang Province, 1,000 farms in Hubei Province,
additional turtle farms occur in Hunan and Jiangsu Provinces and still
others in northern regions. These numbers do not include small backyard
farming operations. The farms are particularly numerous in Guangxi Province
where the local government has supported the development of small turtle
farms for poor farmers and a large unemployed urban population. Small loans
and technical support are provided.
Changing economics and growing conservation concerns resulting from a
traditional market:
While the Chinese tradition of using turtles for food and medicine extends
back thousands of years, only in recent decades has this resulted in a
serious and growing conservation issues. Why were there not concerns for
decline, extirpations and extinctions prior to the 1990’s? There are several
obvious reasons. First, as the economy of China has improved more families
are able to afford turtles and turtle products. This in turn increased
demand and resulted in increased exploitation of wild caught turtles. The
hard-shelled and softshelled turtles not only continue to be important in
Chinese medicine, they are being promoted by media advertising to the
country’s growing population. Second, the economic growth in China has
simultaneously led to mass destruction of aquatic habitats throughout the
country. Agriculture, chemical plants, effluent from paper mills,
deforestation, the wide use of toxic pesticides, damming of major river
systems, and direct destruction of habitat is occurring at an excelled rate;
environmental protection regulations are all but nonexistent in China.
Third, destructive unregulated hunting practices include the use of
explosives and electro shocking in commercial fishing. This results in
direct killing of turtles and loss of their natural prey bases. People have
pumped water out of entire stream systems to capture a few turtles. Single
live turtles of the genus Cuora command a price that will support a small
rural village for a year. Thus, wild populations continue to be exploited
despite their marked decline. Fourth, the concept of conservation is
relatively new in China and is essentially unrecognized by the majority of
the population. While clearly populations of wild turtles were declining
prior to the 1990’s there was little attention paid to the problem. Five,
while large commercial turtle farms arguably might take the pressures off of
wild populations, this is not the case. They in fact have increase the
commercial interest in turtles and have encouraged further exploitation
(Liao and Lee, in press, Shi and Parham 2001).
Concerns from the use of turtles in traditional medicine:
The side effects from various traditional medicines, including those derived
from turtles, have not been tested. There are a number of man-made residues
that can be present in turtle-based medicines and health products. These
include industrial dyes, hormones, antibiotics and drugs that are
supplements in the turtles’ diets. People are aware of this issue, but in
that other animals raised as food products are also subjected to similar
treatments, most commercially raised animals are unsafe for consumption.
Thus, ironically the use of health products and traditional medicines can
directly harm human health. The issues are particularly pronounced in
commercially farmed turtles. In efforts to bypass the characteristic slow
growth of turtles the industry has taken a number of steps to speed up the
growth process. The quicker profits come with a price.
In traditional medicine the Chinese people believe that the nutritional and
health benefits of wild caught turtles are much higher than that of farmed
turtles. Because of this wild caught turtles sell for ten times more than
farmed turtles of the same size and species (i.e., wild soft-shell turtles:
RMB 300/500gr; farmed soft-shelled turtles: RMB 30/500 gr.). Generally wild
turtles can be differentiated from farm raised ones by slight differences in
coloration. Fore example, wild caught Chinese soft-shelled turtles have
yellowish plastrons, while on farm raised ones the plastrons are white. To
change the color of the plastrons turtle farmers will soak the soft-shells
in potassium permanganate. The solution erodes the skin on the plastron
turning it yellowish and the turtles are then marketed as wild caught
turtles. This practice was recorded by reporters with hidden cameras (Wu
2010) and widely circulated by the public media. After a few minutes of
swimming in the purple solution the turtles became limp and lifeless, they
are rinsed under tap water to remove the dye and the yellow-bellied turtles
were then sold as wild caught. The effect of the potassium permanganate on
people eating the turtles is unclear.
There are other ways to achieve this same marketing result. Lutein colorant
is added to the food given to the farm raised soft-shells. It is called
‘yellow feed’ and will change the color of the turtles body and shell to
yellow and these turtles are also marketed as wild caught. While this
information would suggest that true wild turtles would be healthier, this is
not necessarily the case because farmland pesticides, chemical plant
effluents, and other toxic waste commonly find their ways into freshwater
and wild caught turtles that have been tested are contaminated to levels
that they would be deemed unsafe for human consumption in many countries
with standards for commercially sold foods.
In addition to color alternating dies there are still other food additives
in the diets of farm-raised turtles. There are three major categories: male
and female hormones, antibiotics, and disinfectants. Hormones are used to
stimulate rapid growth of turtles. Hormones produced primarily for poultry
and domestic mammals are absorbed quickly in creatures such as turtles with
slow metabolisms. People consuming the product often develop secondary
sexual characteristics. Some six-year-old boys have been reported to grow
breasts, and first menstruation in young girls occurs as early as age to 10,
and puberty can begin at age 7. Antibiotics in turtle food and disinfectants
absorbed through the turtles skin can have adverse effects on humans.
A decade ago most of the turtles sold in Chinese markets were wild caught.
Farmed ones took 5-7 years to reach 500 grams. Today, because of hormones
farm produced hatchling soft-shells can obtain weights of 450 grams in just
7-8 months with the use of hormones, and even with improved diets turtles
fed foods without hormones take 4-5 years to reach similar sizes (She 2005).
In several provinces there are reports of turtle farmers covering the
bottoms of rearing pools with thick layers of dung to which they have added
antibiotics and human contraceptives. The antibiotics are for sterilization
and preventing infectious diseases and the contraceptives, in the form of
birth control pills, contain estrogen to promote the growth of the turtles.
The farmers told reporters that they personally never eat these turtles
because of the way they are raised. The reporters (Zhou 2007) writing of
this noted that when the pools were drained to collect the turtles that many
of the birth control pills were still present because so many were added
that most had not yet dissolved. The pills are available at no cost to the
farmers as they are distributed freely by government local “family planning
offices.”
Due to the high-density culture of farmed turtles, the animals are stressed
and quickly succumb to all sorts of diseases. The problem is made worse by
less than ideal water quality and food with low nutritional quality. This
results in the over use of antibiotics to alleviate infections of various
types. One common disease in soft-shells, locally referred to as
‘white-plastron disease,’ results from too many hormones. These turtles lose
liver function, and often have complete live failures. Farmed turtles have
numerous ailments, many unnamed as they are not ones found in nature. Some
of the drugs in use, such as nitrofuran and malachite green, are nationally
prohibited. These drugs are highly toxic and contain heavy metals, and in
cases of human ingestion cause organ damage and cancer. Use of prohibited
drugs on turtle farms is common, and violations are frequently reported. In
2006 the Ministry of Agriculture found violations during random testing of
all farms checked (Chen 2006). In 2010 a sample of 10 farms found 20% had
illicit drug residues. With over 100,000 turtle farms in China it is not
clear what actual percent of misuse these few spot checks represent (Wen 2010).
Greenhouse turtle farming presents additional problems. Turtles grown in
greenhouses reach market size faster than those grown in outdoor facilities,
as the turtles do not need to hibernate and continue to feed and grow
throughout the winter. In a closed greenhouse of only a few dozen square
meters turtles reach market size in less than half the time of those grown
outdoors. In just 1-2 years they are ready for market. Hard –shelled turtles
are often raised in densities of 100-150/ square meter; soft-shell turtles
are raised at densities of 30-50/square meter.
Table 1: Growth rates of farm-raised turtles in China. Based on averaged
weight data August/September through August/September of following year, and
greenhouse maintained at 30-31 C.
Species
1 year
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
Mauremys reevesii
Wild
15gr.
50gr.
100gr.
200gr.
250- 300gr.
6years:400gr.
farm ponds
40gr.
180gr. (female)
100gr.(male)
360gr.(female)
140gr(male)
680gr. (female)
175gr. (male)
greenhouse
350-500gr. (female)
150-250gr. (male)
Mauremys mutica
wild
30 gr.
80 gr.
500gr.
Farm ponds
100 gr.
500 gr.
1000gr.
greenhouse
500 gr.
Trachemys scripta
Farm ponds
200gr.
400gr.
greenhouse
500 gr.
1,000- 1,300gr.
Pelodiscus sinensis
wild
450gr
farm ponds
150-200 gr.
3-4year:
500-1000 gr.
greenhouse
1year: 700 gr.
8-9months: 200-300 gr.
Greenhouse raised turtles are over fed, over drugged, and listless; they
grow rapidly and their shells often lack pigment. The greenhouse turtles are
mostly for the food market, but some are also sold as pets and are often
jokingly called ‘hormone turtles.’ They quickly succumb to various diseases.
The greenhouses are also major sources of water and air pollution. Serious
water pollution results from discharge of sewage rich in ammonia, nitrogen,
and phosphorus. Due to the high protein content of the feed and fecal
contamination coliform bacteria counts are off the scale. Most farms
discharge water directly into rivers killing fish and other aquatic animals
downstream. Investigators examining the levels of pollution found the rivers
lifeless; they developed major health issues while checking water quality
after entering rivers adjacent to turtle farms (SOURCE). Local fishermen
were interviewed who reported large numbers of dead fish in the river after
discharges and several said the discharged water ran a dark black.
Apparently the closed systems in the greenhouses and the added temperature
create pollution problems that are more serious than those of open pond
farms. The situation is particularly hazardous in Zhejiang Province but
local officials interested in the economic development are not willing to
address the problem.
Heating greenhouses presents a problem, because of the high cost of coal and
firewood; 95% of the farms burn garbage and waste for heat . Waste from
landfills and factories are used as fuels. These in turn release hazardous
gases. Smoke from the combustion has a strong odor and is full of black
particles from plastics and other waste. As expected this is causing health
problems for farm workers and area residents. The problems are serious. A
survey by the country’s Environmental Protection Agency in November of 2010
found fuels used to heat the greenhouses on turtle farms consisted of 50%
plastic waste, 40% garment factory waste and 10% tires. (Zhu 2010)
What is the actual medical value of turtles?
Chinese view of traditional medicine today is basically the same as it has
been for thousands of years; most believe it has value. The number of people
opposed to its use, mostly scientists and other intellectuals, is small--
probably less than ten percent of the total population. Nearly all of
China’s population has been brought up under the influence of traditional
medicine and are psychologically dependent on its use. Because of this there
is a strong effort to justify its validity. For example, people question
that if traditional medicines were not effective, with the absence of modern
western medicine, how could the Chinese population have increased to
1,300,000,000.
The bottom line is that the use of turtle products in Chinese medicine is
about as effective as a mother’s kiss in curing a person’s ills. They both
provide superficial, psychological healing properties. In that a placebo can
have measurable effects one might argue that each may provide some level of
psychological healing, the obvious difference is the kiss comes with no
charge and does not require the continued exploitation of wildlife. Need
something more substantial than a gram of ground up turtle plastron?
Depending on the issue we recommend that you take one dose of Viagra or two
aspirin and go to bed and see what happens.
With the absence of double blind trials and other testing characteristically
used in the development of Western medicines, it is difficult to separate
the actual values of traditional Chinese medicines from perceived
psychological benefits. To compound the problem diagnosis of diseases are
not necessarily correct and many cures could be attributed to placebo
effects. Opponents to the use of traditional medicines note that while there
may be some medical benefits, these medicines should not be promoted as they
have no scientifically proven value, and many may have serious side effects.
To compound the problem street pharmacies can directly prescribe and sell
medicines to the public. These street ‘pharmacists’ are not required to have
any certification of medical qualifications, and the patients typically self
diagnose medical problems.
Opponents to traditional medicine rightly argue that the development of
drugs and other health aids must be tested for effectiveness prior to use.
Testing is multi stepped and includes pharmacological and toxicological
studies, in vitro and lab animal experiments, and several stages of clinical
trials incorporating placebo-controlled testing to determine effectiveness
and possible side effects. Furthermore, like all medicines they need dosage
control recommendations and some form of regulation for approved
distribution. Nevertheless, the formulas for these medicines have never been
tested and they have remained essentially unchanged for thousands of years.
The time honored use of these medicines have been no more challenged than
other traditions than beliefs like ‘feng shui,’ where the locations of a
family house, or an ancestral grave influence the luck and fortune of a
family and its future decedents. Beliefs and tradition are important to all
cultures, and they are strongly implanted throughout China’s population.
Hong et al. (2008) provide sound refutation concerning the benefits derived
from the use of turtles in traditional Chinese medicine. They examined the
potential medical benefits such as nutrition variables, the composition of
amino acids, fatty acids and mineral elements in five species of
hard-shelled turtles. Their analysis showed that claims of the value of
turtle food products were unfounded and that alternative domestic animal
products can be substituted to achieve the same values. Their assumption was
that medical benefits from turtle meat would not be different than those
derived from eating domestic species. Their major concern was that the
traditional beliefs have a severe impact on regional native turtle
conservation efforts and there was no net medical or health benefit to the
consumer. While the conservation community is deeply concerned with the
issues created by China’s continued mass consumption of turtles and wishes
to find a remedy for the problems this creates, we suggest that perhaps it
is important for the Western world to first understand the depth of the
ingrained tradition in order to set the stage for alternate foods and
medicines to effectively replace a cultural heritage that extends back
thousands of years.
A handful of additional studies have been conducted but most are
inconclusive or remain incomplete. Research in the use of turtle and
tortoise urine as an anti-bacterial agent shows some effects in
sterilization and as an anti-oxidation agent, but these have simply been
chemical test and have not been used in trials on humans. The role of turtle
shell of various tortoises and freshwater turtles to treat or improve
symptoms of liver and kidney deficiency, weight loss, reduced locomotor
activity, thyroid, thymus and spleen and arterial problems have been
conducted on laboratory mice with mixed results. No trials have been
conducted on humans, and the lab experiments are often performed by the very
companies promoting commercial sales of the various traditional medicines.
China also has modern medical treatment, though this is largely limited to
practices in major cities. Of the people living in cities 60-70% used modern
hospitals, though because of the cost most people only go when absolutely
necessary. There are four levels of care: modern hospitals, Chinese medicine
hospitals, small clinics (some of which practice formal modern medicine,
typically there is only one doctor present, and many do not have business
licenses) and Chinese medicine shops. City dwelling middle class people
prefer the modern hospitals, but some prefer the Chinese medicine hospitals
as the cost is far less expensive. The working class and the poor mostly use
the small clinics because of their low fees. The older citizens continue to
prefer the Chinese medicine shops as the elderly feel more comfortable using
traditional medicine. Most of these shops do not have trained practitioners
and people simply pick up whatever traditional medicines they think will
cure their particular ailments. In that most Chinese people do not have
health insurance they continue turn to traditional medicines for colds, flu,
and other minor ailments. In rural China the situation is different. Over
eighty million Chinese are farmers. Farmers typically have low incomes and
no health insurance. Over 90% of them rely entirely on traditional Chinese
medicines. Throughout China medical doctors are not particularly respected
as most will not take the time to provide a proper diagnosis unless they are
bribed with substantial sums. Thus, for a number of reasons modern medicine
has failed to displaced traditional medicine.
One must also keep in mind that the cultural use of turtles for the
purported traditional health and medical benefits is also a major business.
Chinese attitudes toward conservation vs. profit, combined with the
country’s growing population, negates any serious interest in curbing the
current economic beliefs derived from turtles, or attempts to obtain
ecological sustainability in native turtle populations. The recent growing
number of turtle farms has masked turtle conservation concerns as people
incorrectly assume the farming of mass numbers of red-eared sliders and
other common nonnative turtles will help eliminate the demand placed on wild
native stocks (Shi and Parham 2001, Shi et al. 2008, Liao and Lee in press).
It appears that the commercial farming operations have only expanded the
demand (Shi 2007). The turtle conservation issues created continue to grow
due to a near lack of public concerns and government intervention (Meng et
al. 2000) as well as engrained cultural attitudes. Realistically cultural
and economic considerations are not likely to change even in the distant
future. Keep in mind China’s population is 1.3 billion. Both its population
and economy continue to grow. For many species of turtles their continued
survival is now in the hands of China’s emerging economy. That said, China
represents a vast untapped market for prescription drugs and other tested
modern medicines. Perhaps profit driven investments by the pharmaceutical
industry will one day result in indirect long-term benefits to the Chinese
people as well as turtle conservation. The wide spread use of the Internet
presents the opportunity to educate the general populace about modern
medicines as well the growing conservation needs of the country’s indigenous
iconic fauna. With the right level of private sector and government
dedication this could all be turned about rather quickly.
Post Script: This contribution is not about pointing fingers or mocking
issues related to China’s culture. If by chance readers think that there is
some superior level between the comparative conservation priorities of
Eastern and Western cultures there probably is, but just think for a moment
as to what the Western world annually spends just on hair care products.
With this level of funding alone most of our global concerns regarding
exploitation and habitat needs of wildlife could be quickly resolved. As for
ageing parents, many too would perhaps best benefit from a loving child’s kiss.
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_____________________________________________________________
Article by David S. Lee (The Tortoise Reserve, P.O. Box 7082, White Lake,
North Carolina, USA 28337 torres...@aol.com) and Liao Shi Kun cho...@163.com
(the address is known to publishers of “Radiata.”
Originally published in 4/14 issue of “Radiata.” (English edition).
“Radiata,” is the German Chelonian Group’s International Journal for Biology
of Chelonians-English Edition. Reprinted and distributed with permission of
authors.
Version in “Radiata” contained over 30 photos which I am currently trying to
get permission to post and distribute.The version “Radiata” published may
contain small differences than this version supplied and approved by
authors. “Radiata’s” website is www.radiata.de. HerpDigest has made no
content changes in version above supplied by authors.
