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| Title |
Clarifying the origin of Houzao
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Chinese Medicine, May 2018
|
| DOI | 10.1186/s13020-018-0182-0 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Zhongzhen Zhao, Eric Brand, Hiu Yee Kwan, Quanbin Han, Mengjia Zhou |
| Abstract |
Houzao (bezoar) is a valuable imported Chinese medicine that is commonly used as a pediatric medicine to transform phlegm. There are mainly two types of Houzao, "Southeast Asian Houzao" and "Indian Houzao". "Indian Houzao" is the dominant commercial product accounts for over 95% of the actual utilization in the market. However, its origin, formation, composition, efficacy and pharmacology remain unclear. Therefore, we have conducted on-site investigation to clarify the origin of Indian Houzao. We have dissected one male and one female domestic Indian goats in the pastoral areas of Telangana province in south-central India. Our results show: Indian Houzao originates from Indian goats rather than from macaques; it comes from goats and not sheep, and is not limited to female goats.The exact location of the bezoar is in the caecum and not stomach or intestines.Acacia seeds serve as the primer to induce the formation of bezoar in the caecum.The formation and development of the bezoar are closely related to the special local ecosystem and food chain. These goats eat the shoots of Acacia nilotica, and also other local plants in the families of Euphorbiaceae, Rutaceae, Combretaceae, etc.It takes around 120 days for the bezoar to be fully developed inside the goat. Many goats are slaughtered in the Indian festival Dusserah from October to December.Indian Houzao is the bezoar from the caecum of Indian goats, formed in response to pathological stimulation, and is the dominant commercial form of "Houzao" on the market. It has been used historically. It has natural supply source. Producers can guarantee a sustainable supply of the bezoars for the market. The usage of bezoar as medicine is also acceptable from the perspective of animal protection. Many patients and people in the Chinese medicine field do not know Indian Houzao comes from Indian goats but from other unsustainable animal sources, which has a negative influence on its actual use and scientific research potential. Our study has clarified the origin of Indian Houzao, which can help to further develop Indian Houzao for the treatment of diseases. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 2 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 2 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 2 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 3 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 3 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 1 | 33% |
| Unknown | 2 | 67% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1 | 33% |
| Unknown | 2 | 67% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 2. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 25 July 2018.
All research outputs
#16,728,456
of 25,382,440 outputs
Outputs from Chinese Medicine
#279
of 660 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#208,296
of 338,967 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Chinese Medicine
#7
of 11 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,382,440 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 32nd percentile – i.e., 32% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 660 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.0. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 51% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 338,967 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 35th percentile – i.e., 35% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 11 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 36th percentile – i.e., 36% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.