title: International trade in bear gall bladders: forensic source inference.
abstract: Fresh and desiccated gall bladders of the Ursidae family (bears) obtained as criminal evidence were characterized by analysis of the principal biliary components, mainly ursodeoxycholyl-taurine, cholyl-taurine and chenodeoxycholyl-taurine using TLC and HPLC. This bile acids profile appears to be an Ursidae family characteristic. Results show that of the samples from Asia only 3% were from the Ursidae family and 18% were from "farmed bears." Samples seized in the U.S.A. and Canada showed that 22.6% and 85% respectively, were from Ursids. The remaining samples were consistent with bile from the domestic pig (Suidae).
authors.affiliation: National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory, Ashland, OR.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shafer
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Hagey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001208:Asia; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000032:analysis*; D003132:Commerce; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000737:chemistry*; D009656:North America; D001503:Ursidae / Q000145:classification*
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts