Scientific refutation of traditional Chinese medicine claims about turtles
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Applied Herpetology
Publication Date
3-2008
Volume
5
Issue
2
First Page
173
Last Page
187
Publisher
Brill
Keywords
China, turtle trade, geoemydidae, TCM, nutrition, conservation, asian turtle crisis, asia
Abstract
The Chinese turtle trade is the primary threat to endangered turtle populations throughout Asia, primarily because of the long tradition of consuming turtles in China. Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) promote nutritional and medicinal benefits from eating turtles, especially those made from hardshell species. We tested these claims by determining the nutritional value of turtle products (meat, fat and shell) in five species of geoemydid turtle, Cuora trifasciata, C. mouhotii, Mauremys mutica, M. sinensis and Geoemyda spengleri. Nutritional variables such as the composition of amino acids, fatty acids and mineral elements were analyzed to determine the relative nutritional quality of turtle products. Our study refutes TCM claims about products made from hardshell turtles. Alternative animal products should be substituted to obtain similar minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. Balancing the cultural use of turtles with their conservation status remains a major challenge.
DOI
10.1163/157075408784648835
Print ISSN
15707539
E-ISSN
15707547
Publisher Statement
Copyright © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2008. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Hong, M., Shi, H., Fu, L., Gong S., Fong, J. J. & Parham, J. F. (2008). Scientific refutation of traditional Chinese medicine claims about turtles. Applied Herpetology, 5(2), 173-187. doi: 10.1163/157075408784648835