Asian Medicine: Exploitation of Wildlife

Abstract

Traditional Asian medicine's effects on wildlife conservation cannot be ignored. The endangered musk deer ( Moschus spp.) provides a typical example. ![Figure][1] CREDIT: XIUXIANG MENG The adult male musk deer secretes musk, which is one of the world's most expensive natural medical resources (1 gram is worth US$250). Musk is used broadly in traditional Asian medicine. There are at least 884 traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions and 347 products that use musk in China ([ 1 ][2]). Nearly 1000 kg of musk are consumed per year in traditional Chinese medicine alone ([ 2 ][3]). Because the musk deer has been deemed endangered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) ([ 3 ][4]), musk extraction from wild musk deer has been forbidden since the 1980s in China. In response, musk deer farming was initiated in the 1950s in China, as well as India, Nepal, and Russia ([ 4 ][5]). Today, more than 95% of the world's population of captive musk deer (about 6000 deer) is kept in about 30 musk deer farms in China ([ 5 ][6]). Sustainable musk extraction has been achieved in these farms, but only 20 kg of musk can be produced from musk deer farming per year ([ 6 ][7]), falling far short of the demand in China, not to mention the even greater demand in global traditional Asian medicine. Given that even sustainable musk deer farms cannot produce enough musk to meet global demand, we should scientifically assess whether the musk used in traditional Asian medicine is effective. If not, musk deer farming should be phased out, and the captive musk deer should be reintegrated into natural habitats according to a scientifically supported plan. If the musk is shown to be medically effective, we should develop a synthetic alternative to natural musk that can both replace natural musk in traditional Asian medicine and protect natural populations of musk deer. 1. [↵][8]1. Z. Jiang , in Advances in Biodiversity Conservation and Research in China VI, Biodiversity Committee of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ed. (China Meteorological Press, Beijing, 2005), pp. 329–348 [in Chinese]. 2. [↵][9]1. R. Parry-Jones, 2. J. Wu , Musk Deer Farming as a Conservation Tool in China (TRAFFIC East Asia, Hong Kong, 2001). 3. [↵][10]1. Y. Zhou 2. et al ., Folia Zool. 53, 129 (2004). [OpenUrl][11][Web of Science][12] 4. [↵][13]1. V. Homes , On the Scent: Conserving Musk Deer—The Uses of Musk and Europe's Role in Its Trade (TRAFFIC Europe, Brussels, 1999). 5. [↵][14]1. X. Meng 2. et al ., Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 24, 1474 (2011). [OpenUrl][15] 6. [↵][16]1. X. Meng 2. et al ., Anim. Sci. 82, 5 (2006). [OpenUrl][17] [1]: pending:yes [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #ref-3 [5]: #ref-4 [6]: #ref-5 [7]: #ref-6 [8]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [9]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [10]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3 in text [11]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DFolia%2BZool.%26rft.volume%253D53%26rft.spage%253D129%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [12]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000223073900002&link_type=ISI [13]: #xref-ref-4-1 View reference 4 in text [14]: #xref-ref-5-1 View reference 5 in text [15]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAsian-Aust.%2BJ.%2BAnim.%2BSci.%26rft.volume%253D24%26rft.spage%253D1474%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [16]: #xref-ref-6-1 View reference 6 in text [17]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAnim.%2BSci.%26rft.volume%253D82%26rft.spage%253D5%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx