Natural Herb Library

Bear Bile

Chinese
熊胆
Pinyin
Xiong Dan
Latin
Vesica Fellea Ursi
Scientific specimen plate of Bear Bile, Vesica Fellea Ursi, showing dried gallbladder specimen, bile flakes, powder, reconstituted bile sample, and diagnostic material details.
Botanical plate by Kodi . View print →

Known in TCM as Xiong Dan (熊胆), this bitter, cold herb enters the Liver, Gallbladder, and Heart. Traditionally, it clears Heat and stops spasms - classically used for high fever, internal wind, convulsions, pediatric fright, and heat-type epileptic disorders when blazing heat agitates the Liver and Heart, most often applied for epilepsy, stroke, and blurred vision. Modern research has identified Ursodeoxycholic among its active constituents.

Part used: Bladder

Also Known As

Fellea

Latin: Vesica Fellea Ursi | Pinyin: Xiong Dan | Chinese: 熊胆

TCM Properties

Taste
bitter
Temperature
cold
Channels
Liver, Gallbladder, Heart

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

  • Clears Heat and stops spasms - classically used for high fever, internal wind, convulsions, pediatric fright, and heat-type epileptic disorders when blazing heat agitates the Liver and Heart.
  • Drains Liver and Gallbladder Fire while benefiting the eyes - applied for red swollen painful eyes, acute visual obstruction, and ocular heat-toxin patterns in which strong bitter-cold descent is needed.
  • Resolves fire toxin and relieves painful swelling - used internally or topically for sore throat, mouth sores, boils, hemorrhoids, and other hot painful lesions where direct heat-clearing action is required.
  • Clears damp-heat and reduces swelling - extended to jaundice, toxic inflammatory lesions, and trauma-related hot swelling when excess heat and obstruction predominate.

Secondary Actions

  • Because of its extremely strong heat-clearing nature, Xiong Dan was historically reserved for intense excess-heat presentations rather than routine long-course treatment.
  • Modern ethical and legal practice increasingly replaces crude bear bile with synthetic or cultured bile-acid substitutes such as UDCA or TUDCA rather than using wild-animal-derived material.

Classic Formulas

  • Xiong Dan Yuan (熊胆圆) - recorded in Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang for pediatric heat, fright, vomiting phlegm, poor feeding, and lingering gan ji-type disorders, showing bear bile in a strongly clearing pediatric formula.
  • Di Sheng Xiong Dan Wan (抵圣熊胆丸) - from Sheng Hui Fang, an external bear-bile and musk pill placed on intensely hot painful carbuncles and sores to reduce fire toxin and pain.

Classical References

  • Sacred Lotus records the core traditional actions as clearing Heat, stopping spasms, calming Liver Fire, benefiting the eyes, reducing swelling, and treating fire-toxin lesions.
  • TCM Wiki lists jaundice, nebula, pharyngitis, anal fistula, boils, infantile malnutrition, diarrhea from summer-damp, and heat-type epilepsy among standard classical indications, reinforcing its broad use in severe excess-heat states.
  • Traditional cautions state that Xiong Dan should not be used without true Heat and that its effect is weakened by Han Fang Ji and Sheng Di Huang.

Modern Research

Active Compounds

  • Ursodeoxycholic acid or UDCA (hydrophilic bile acid) - the best-known therapeutic bile acid historically associated with bear bile and now widely manufactured synthetically
  • Tauroursodeoxycholic acid or TUDCA (taurine-conjugated bile acid) - studied for neuroprotective, ocular, and hepatoprotective effects
  • Chenodeoxycholic acid (primary bile acid) - part of the broader bile-acid profile contributing to pharmacologic activity
  • Taurochenodeoxycholic and related conjugated bile acids (conjugated bile acids) - contribute to the complex traditional animal-drug profile
  • Minor bile pigments and sterol metabolites (biliary metabolites) - part of the non-UDCA chemical matrix of crude bear bile

Studied Effects

  • Modern research has largely translated the traditional drug into bile-acid pharmacology - UDCA is reviewed as the key therapeutic component with anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective activity and established hepatobiliary applications (PMID 31509435)
  • Neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic potential - TUDCA review literature summarizes evidence for disease-modifying effects in neurodegenerative models, echoing the traditional use of bear bile for convulsive and severe heat disorders (PMID 35659112)
  • Ocular protection - review literature on bile acids in ocular disease highlights UDCA and TUDCA as major bear-bile-associated molecules with retinal and neuroprotective relevance (PMID 20046852)
  • Direct bear-bile powder research - bear bile powder attenuated senecionine-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome in mice, with tauroursodeoxycholic acid identified as an important contributor (PMID 35487597)

PubMed References

Safety & Interactions

Contraindications

  • Cases without true Heat, fire toxin, convulsive heat, or damp-heat excess
  • Cold or deficiency conditions where strong bitter-cold drainage would further weaken the patient

Cautions

  • Bear bile is an endangered and legally restricted animal medicinal in the United States and many other settings; modern practice generally relies on synthetic or cultured bile-acid substitutes instead of crude animal sourcing
  • Because this is a potent bitter-cold animal drug, inappropriate use can easily injure digestion or worsen weak patients who do not have clear excess-heat pathology
  • Traditional sources state that Han Fang Ji and Sheng Di Huang weaken its action
  • MSK page not found - drug interaction data not available from Memorial Sloan Kettering integrative medicine database

Conditions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bear Bile used for?

Bear Bile is traditionally used to Clears Heat and stops spasms - classically used for high fever, internal wind, convulsions, pediatric fright, and heat-type epileptic disorders when blazing heat agitates the Liver and Heart., Drains Liver and Gallbladder Fire while benefiting the eyes - applied for red swollen painful eyes, acute visual obstruction, and ocular heat-toxin patterns in which strong bitter-cold descent is needed., Resolves fire toxin and relieves painful swelling - used internally or topically for sore throat, mouth sores, boils, hemorrhoids, and other hot painful lesions where direct heat-clearing action is required., Clears damp-heat and reduces swelling - extended to jaundice, toxic inflammatory lesions, and trauma-related hot swelling when excess heat and obstruction predominate.. Research has investigated its effects on: Modern research has largely translated the traditional drug into bile-acid pharmacology - UDCA is reviewed as the key therapeutic component with anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective activity and established hepatobiliary applications (PMID 31509435); Neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic potential - TUDCA review literature summarizes evidence for disease-modifying effects in neurodegenerative models, echoing the traditional use of bear bile for convulsive and severe heat disorders (PMID 35659112).

What are other names for Bear Bile?

Bear Bile is also known as Fellea. In TCM: 熊胆 (Xiong Dan); Vesica Fellea Ursi.

Is Bear Bile safe during pregnancy?

The safety of Bear Bile during pregnancy has not been established. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before use.

What are the contraindications for Bear Bile?

Bear Bile should not be used in: Cases without true Heat, fire toxin, convulsive heat, or damp-heat excess; Cold or deficiency conditions where strong bitter-cold drainage would further weaken the patient. Consult a qualified practitioner before use.