BILE, BEARS AND BUBBLES
Query about ‘gall soap’ led to discoveries that were equal parts intriguing and disturbing
We, at the McGill Office for Science and Society, often receive questions about consumer products that can require us to engage in an investigation. Such was the case when a query about the effectiveness of “bile” or “gall” soap in removing stains from fabrics came our way. That investigation took us down a road that diverged into two paths, one intriguing, the other dark, dingy and disturbing. Let’s deal with the latter first.
Bile is a fluid generated by the liver from cholesterol and stored in the gallbladder. Stimulated by food intake, it is secreted through the bile duct that joins the pancreatic duct before emptying into the small intestine. Both enzymes from the pancreas and bile acids from the liver are needed to digest fats. In terms of molecular structure, the bile acids have a hydrophilic or “water loving” part as well as a hydrophobic or “water hating” one. The hydrophobic region can embed in fats while the hydrophilic part anchors in water with the result that fats break down into tiny droplets called “micelles.”
This increases the surface area of the fats that can be exposed to lipases, the pancreatic enzymes that chop fats into smaller fragments for easier absorption into the bloodstream from the small intestine. Without bile acids, the absorption of fats is impaired and can lead to deficiencies in essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
Sometimes remnants of cholesterol from which bile acids are synthesized may crystallize in the gall bladder and form gallstones. This can require removal of the gall bladder, a common surgical procedure known as a cholecystectomy. Ideally, it would be preferable if surgery could be avoided by consuming some substance capable of dissolving gallstones. This can actually be done with “ursodiol,” a “secondary bile acid” that forms in the intestine by the action of intestinal bacteria on bile acids.
The use of ursodiol traces back to the seventh century (Tang Dynasty) when Chinese physicians began to treat abdominal pain with bile derived from the gall bladder of black bears. How they hit upon this idea isn’t clear. Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tried using numerous substances, ranging from ground up sea horses and shark fin soup to tiger bones and various herbal concoctions, in hopes of alleviating human suffering.
These mostly worked through the placebo effect, but on occasion, they hit upon substances that actually had a desired physiological effect. Apparently, bear bile was one of these.
Modern research has shown that ursodiol can indeed dissolve gallstones, although the treatment requires daily ingestion of the purified substance for months and is rarely used. The compound can be derived from the gall bladders of slaughtered cattle or can be synthesized in the lab. It is very unlikely that the use of bear bile as originally described in TCM, often contaminated with pus and blood, had a therapeutic effect. Nevertheless, it gained a reputation as a treatment not only for abdominal pain, but also for liver protection, eye problems, hangover and even hemorrhoids.
The belief in the magical properties of bear bile has led to a dreadful industry. “Bear farms” house animals in cages that are so small they can hardly move in order to facilitate the “milking” of their gall bladder which is done by means of catheters inserted through crude surgical procedures. These animals are tortured; they moan, bang their heads into the cage out of frustration and even chew their own paws. It is a truly revolting scene. In addition, in China it is legal.
The argument is that if bear farms did not exist, wild bears would be hunted down for their gall bladders in great numbers. Therefore, according to the Chinese government, bear farms actually protect the bear population.
Unfortunately, the vile practice of raising bears for their gallbladder is not likely to stop any time soon. The fact that there is no evidence of any efficacy doesn’t enter into the picture. Bear farms are also found in Vietnam, where they are actually illegal, but the law is not enforced. Here, instead of surgically implanted catheters, hypodermic syringes are used to remove the bears’ bile. Still a horrendous business.
Animals Asia is an organization that hopes to put an end to bear farming. Its founder, Jill Robinson, has worked with the Chinese government to close down the most inhumane farms and has established a “rescue centre” where bears that are no longer useful for “milking” can be housed and treated. Actually, many practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine are opposed to the use of bear bile and claim that there are herbal remedies that can perform the same functions. There is about as much evidence for these as there is for bear bile.
Now on to the more pleasant path, the one that takes us toward stain-free clothes. Back in 1767, French chemist Antoine-Alexis Cadet de Vaux discovered that bile was an effective degreaser. This is no surprise, given what we now know about bile acids breaking down fats. Before long, bile was mixed with soap and used to degrease wool.
The effectiveness of bile as a fat buster gave charlatans an idea and “slimming soap” appeared on the market. According to ads, one just had to apply the soap to fatty areas of the body for a slimming effect. Fat chance!
While “slimming soap” is total nonsense, the “gall soap” available today is effective at removing a variety of greasy spots and also does a good job on blood, wine, ink, fruit and grass stains. The procedure is to rub that stain with the moistened soap and let it sit for a while before laundering. The bile of course does not come from bears, but from cattle. Gall soap is available online and I can vouch for its cleaning abilities. But any promotion for a slimming effect is truly galling.
The belief in the magical properties of bear bile has led to a dreadful industry.