The Yaan Bifengxia Wildlife Zoo in Sichuan Province, China, has stirred safety concerns with its sale of tiger urine, which it claims is a treatment for rheumatism.
According to a South China Morning Post report, the zoo offers “medicinal tiger urine” from Siberian tigers at 50 yuan per bottle. Each bottle contains 250g of urine, purportedly beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis, sprains, and muscle pain.
The zoo advises mixing urine with white wine and applying it using ginger slices to the affected areas. Users can also drink the solution but must stop immediately if they experience any allergic reactions.
The process for collecting and sanitizing tiger urine remains uncertain. According to a staff member, the urine is collected from a basin after the tiger urinates, but it is not specified whether it is disinfected before selling it. Despite being on the market, the product is in limited demand, with no more than two bottles sold daily.
In 2014, the zoo reportedly gave tiger urine as a prize to celebrity contestants on a reality show, which brought its use into the public eye.
Medical professionals have strongly objected to these practices. A pharmacist from the Hubei Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital publicly criticized the medicinal claims, stating that tiger urine lacks support from traditional Chinese medicine and scientific evidence. The pharmacist highlighted concerns that such promotions could damage the credibility of traditional Chinese medicine and hinder tiger conservation efforts.
Moreover, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner questioned the zoo’s authority to sell medicinal products, emphasizing that government regulators should approve all medicines.
Despite these issues, zoo representatives assert that they hold a valid business license to sell tiger urine, although it’s unclear if this license extends to medicinal products.
This controversial remedy has sparked debate among visitors and online commentators. One user shared, “I bought some for my dad out of curiosity but have not seen any effect, so it is just sitting there.” Another expressed concern over potential bacterial spread: “Will the urine not spread bacteria? It is just gross to think about.”
