Ambergris, formed in the intestines of sperm whales, is known as "floating gold on the sea". Its unique earthy fragrance originates from the biochemical reaction of whale metabolism. Metabolites become precious spices after decades of immersion in seawater. Arab merchants in the Middle Ages used it as a diplomatic gift, and the "Compendium of Materia Medica" in the Ming Dynasty recorded its effect of "clearing the blood vessels". In the modern perfume industry, the price of natural ambergris in the international auction market ranges from hundreds to thousands of yuan, depending on the composition.
In fact, the essence of ambergris is the gallstones of sperm whales. In addition to ambergris, the gallstones in many animals are scarce treasures. For example, niuhuang is the gallstones of cattle. In traditional Chinese medicine, niuhuang has a beneficial effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, calming the nerves, and reducing swelling. However, because natural niuhuang is very rare, the price of each gram of natural niuhuang is more expensive than gold. In 2008, a cattle butcher in Yunnan, China, found a super-large niuhuang weighing 2.95 kilograms, which was valued at one million by local Chinese medicine practitioners and became sensational news.
With the advancement of science and technology, people have been able to make artificial niuhuang. However, goubao, which is as famous as niuhuang, is also a very rare Chinese medicinal material. Goubao is a stone in the dog's gallbladder, kidney, bladder, or stomach, usually in the shape of a sphere or ellipse. "Compendium of Materia Medica" once recorded that "goubao grows in the belly of a mangy dog, shaped like a white stone with a green color, and its texture is layered, which is also a rare thing."
After the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in 1984, ambroxide(ambroxan), synthesized from sclareolide, has become a mainstream substitute. The 2025 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia added a clause requiring bezoar products to be marked with an artificial synthesis logo. These changes witness the collision of traditional medicinal material culture and modern ecological ethics. If you want to know more information about ambroxide, or you are interested in or need any product, please feel free to contact us (Email: sales@appchem.cn).