Animal extracts, sourced from various animal tissues, fluids, and secretions, possess complex compositions and unique biological activities. They offer numerous health benefits in medical and nutritional applications. The following sections detail these benefits based on application and component type.

I. Medical Applications: Disease Treatment and Physiological Regulation

1. Hormone Extracts: Precise Physiological Function Regulation

Insulin (pancreatic extract): Directly replenishes insulin deficiency in diabetic patients, promoting glucose uptake and utilization by tissue cells, lowering blood glucose levels, maintaining glucose metabolism balance. It is a core medication for type 1 diabetes and some type 2 diabetes.

Thyroxine (thyroid extract): Used to treat hypothyroidism, supplementing insufficient thyroid hormone, improving symptoms of low metabolism, fatigue, and cold intolerance, maintaining normal nervous and cardiovascular system function.

Sex hormones (such as estrogen and androgen extracts): Used to regulate endocrine disorders (such as menopause), promote sexual organ development, or treat certain gynecological diseases. However, strict adherence to medical guidance is necessary to avoid hormonal imbalances. 
 

2. Enzyme Extracts: Catalysis and Metabolic Regulation

Pancreatic enzymes (pancreatic extract): Containing trypsin, amylase, and lipase, they are used to treat indigestion and pancreatic insufficiency, aiding in the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, improving nutrient absorption.

Urokinase (urine extract): As a thrombolytic drug, it activates plasminogen, dissolving thrombi, and is used to treat acute myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, and other thrombotic diseases.

Hyaluronidase (animal testis or microbial fermentation extract): Promotes the diffusion of subcutaneously injected drugs, relieves local swelling, or is used in ophthalmic surgery to loosen tissue adhesions. 
 

3. Immunomodulatory and Anti-inflammatory Extracts

Thymosin (thymus extract): Promotes T lymphocyte differentiation and maturation, enhances cellular immunity, and is used to treat immunodeficiency diseases (such as AIDS adjunctive therapy), chronic hepatitis, and decreased immune function after tumor radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Transfer factor (lymphocyte extract): Transmits cellular immune information, activates immune cells, and assists in the treatment of viral infections (such as shingles) and malignant tumors.

Shark cartilage extract: Contains angiogenesis inhibitors, which can inhibit the formation of new blood vessels in tumors, used in adjuvant cancer therapy to slow down cancer cell growth and metastasis. 
 

4. Antithrombotic and Hemostatic Extracts

Hirudin (leech saliva extract): Potently inhibits thrombin, preventing the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, exhibiting antithrombotic effects, used to prevent and treat deep vein thrombosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Thrombin (animal blood extract): Topical application can rapidly promote blood coagulation, used for hemostasis in surgical wounds or gastrointestinal bleeding. 
 

II. Nutritional Health Applications: Supplementing Special Nutrients

1. Amino Acids and Peptides: Basic Nutritional Support

Hydrolyzed collagen (animal skin and bone extract): Replenishes the raw materials for human collagen synthesis (such as glycine and proline), improving skin elasticity, reducing wrinkles, maintaining joint cartilage health, and alleviating osteoarthritis symptoms.

Taurine (animal heart, brain extract, or synthetic): Involved in neural development, regulating myocardial contractility, commonly found in infant formula and sports drinks, enhancing immunity and improving vision.

Glutamine (animal muscle extract): As the main energy source for intestinal mucosal cells, it maintains intestinal barrier function, alleviates intestinal damage after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and is also used for athlete muscle repair. 
 

2. Lipid Extracts: Special Physiological Functions

Fish oil (deep-sea fish fat extract): Rich in ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA, EPA), regulating blood lipids (lowering triglycerides, raising HDL-C), anti-inflammatory, improving cognitive function, preventing cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Phospholipids (animal brain, egg yolk extract): Important components of cell membranes, promoting fat metabolism, preventing fatty liver, and participating in nerve signal transmission, improving memory.

Squalene (shark liver extract): Enhances the body's resistance to hypoxia, promotes cell metabolism, used in health products to improve immunity and combat fatigue. 
 

3. Other Functional Components

Coenzyme Q10 (animal heart extract or microbial fermentation): Involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism, antioxidant, protecting the myocardium, used in the prevention and treatment of heart failure and myocarditis, and can also delay skin aging.

Chitosan (crustacean shell extract): Absorbs intestinal fat and cholesterol, assisting in lowering blood lipids and regulating blood sugar, and also has immunomodulatory effects. 
 

III. Potential Risks and Precautions

Allergic risks: Some animal extracts (such as fish, shellfish, and insects) may trigger allergic reactions, such as rashes and respiratory difficulties. Individuals with allergies should use caution.

Ethical and safety concerns: Some animal extracts (such as placenta and bear bile) involve animal protection or ethical issues, and the efficacy and safety of some components lack sufficient clinical verification. Scientific evidence and regulatory guidelines should be followed.

Quality control issues: Animal extracts from different sources may have compositional differences (such as heavy metal residues and microbial contamination). Products from reputable sources should be chosen to ensure quality and safety.

Drug interactions: Hormones and enzyme extracts may interact with other drugs (e.g., the combined use of anticoagulants and hirudin increases the risk of bleeding). Use should be under the guidance of a physician. 
 

IV. Future Trends: Precision and Sustainability

With the development of biotechnology, animal extracts are evolving towards precise extraction (such as monoclonal antibodies, genetically engineered recombinant proteins) and sustainable production (such as microbial fermentation replacing animal-derived extraction). For example, human insulin is produced in yeast or E. coli through genetic engineering technology, avoiding the immunogenicity problems of animal-derived insulin and reducing reliance on animal resources.

In summary, animal extracts, with their unique biological activities, have significant value in maintaining human health. However, they require scientific and rational use, balancing efficacy and risk, and promoting the development of the industry towards safety, efficiency, and sustainability.