Dr. Lim’s Notes · Singapore · September 2026
The Short Answer
Porcupine date and porcupine bezoar are the same thing — in Chinese, 箭猪枣. The names are messy partly because of language differences, and partly, to be honest, because this industry still isn’t well standardised. So I often tell friends in Singapore: don’t get stuck on what it’s called; first learn how to verify what it is.
Friends in Singapore often ask me: is it porcupine date, or porcupine bezoar? Why does the same thing have so many spellings online, some of them barely recognisable?
I understand the confusion. As someone who’s been in this trade for many years, I want to be honest about why the names are messy — and about what that mess actually reveals.
KL
Prof. Is. Dr. Kien-Seng Lim (Jackie Lim)
Co-founder, Miracle Medicine · Research collaborator, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University · Co-author, MDPI Pharmaceuticals 2026
First, these names all point to the same thing
Different names, one thing
porcupine bezoarFormal / academic English name
porcupine dateEveryday English — most common in Singapore searches
箭猪枣 / 河猪枣 / 豪猪枣Chinese, regional variants of the same thing
They all point to the same thing: a natural stone that forms inside a porcupine. “Bezoar” is the more precise term; “date” is more colloquial — and in Singapore, most people type porcupine date when they search. Different names, one thing. Not different goods, and no hierarchy between them.
(If you want the full story behind each name — including where those garbled online mistranslations come from — my team wrote a dedicated naming guide on our technical site; the link is at the end. Here, I want to talk about something else.)
Why are the names so messy? Let me be honest
Language differences are only part of it. The deeper reason, I believe, is that this industry has long lacked unified standards.
When a product sits within a mature, well-regulated industry, its names, grades, and quality descriptions tend to be consistent. The porcupine bezoar trade, for a long time, has been every seller for themselves — each with their own way of naming, grading, describing. The messiness of the names is really a surface symptom of that lack of standardisation.
“Messy names are often a sign of an industry that isn’t yet well regulated. So what I care about isn’t teaching you to memorise names — it’s teaching you how to verify.”
Porcupine Date, Porcupine Bezoar — different names for the same natural stone that forms inside a porcupine
This is why, whenever someone asks me about the names, I always bring it back to the same place: whatever it’s called, what you really need to judge is whether the seller’s product can be trusted.
Whatever It’s Called, Verify These Three Things
This is the advice I give every friend in Singapore — and the three things we’re willing to be checked on ourselves:
The name is just an entry point; these three are the basis
1. Is the source clear and traceable?
Which country, what collection method — a seller should be able to explain this clearly. Our porcupine bezoar comes from Indonesia’s wild forests, using a humane approach — X-ray detection, veterinary surgical extraction, recovery and release — handled by a dedicated team.
2. Are there verifiable certifications and testing?
Legal certifications can be checked. We hold five — KKM-registered TCM practitioner consultation, Tested by Halvec Laboratories, GMP, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 22000:2018 — and our compound products (Pormone, Procure) additionally hold MeSTI and HACCP. Our products also undergo independent third-party testing covering safety indicators such as heavy metals.
3. Can the seller answer your questions seriously?
A seller willing to address your specific situation — rather than rushing to close a sale — is usually more trustworthy. You can sense this within a few messages of talking to them.
🇸🇬 A note for friends in Singapore
In Singapore, porcupine bezoar is a traditional natural health product, not a medicine. It cannot be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. If you have a health condition, no product should displace your doctor’s treatment plan. Names and sources you can verify yourself; matters of health, leave to your doctor.
Source, certification, and third-party testing — the things you can actually verify, beyond the name
On the research, I’ll say just one thing
People ask me whether there’s any scientific basis. Our research with Guangdong Pharmaceutical University was published in the international journal MDPI Pharmaceuticals (2026, DOI: 10.3390/ph19040563) — an animal-model study in rats, in which we observed the direction of change in some immune- and inflammation-related markers. It provides a basis for further research, but cannot yet be directly extrapolated to humans.
I won’t unpack the data and mechanism here — that’s another topic, set out on our technical page. I mention the study only to make one point: we’re willing to place this traditional material inside a framework modern science can examine. That, too, is a form of “verifiable.”
Porcupine Bezoar or Porcupine Date? One Thing, Many Names — Naming Guide →
miracleporcupine.com · The story behind every English and Chinese name
Standardization Framework for Porcupine Bezoar: Molecular Consistency via HPLC (Pharmaceuticals 2026) →
miracleporcupine.com · Full technical detail of the rat-model research
Porcupine Bezoar Set to Enter Modern Medical System (May 2026) →
CCTV.com · University-Enterprise Collaboration
Prof. Is. Dr. Kien-Seng Lim’s Long Lesson: Focusing on Only One Thing for 21 Years →
China Press · The Story of Porcupine Dates
Whatever it’s called, come ask your questions
If you’re in Singapore and want to see the product in person and get your questions answered directly, feel free to reach out, or book a visit.
Our store: 26 Sin Ming Ln, #03-124 Midview City, Singapore 573971, by appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are porcupine date and porcupine bezoar the same thing?
Yes. Porcupine bezoar is the more formal, academic name; porcupine date is the everyday name most common in Singapore searches. In Chinese it’s 箭猪枣. Different names, same thing.
Why does porcupine date have so many names?
Partly language and region. But part of it, honestly, is that this industry has long lacked unified standards — messy naming reflects an industry that isn’t yet well regulated. That’s why I think verification matters more than memorising names.
What should I verify when buying porcupine date in Singapore?
Whatever it’s called, verify three things: whether the source is clear and traceable, whether there are verifiable legal certifications and third-party testing, and whether the seller can give professional answers specific to your situation. The name is just an entry point.
Is there scientific research on porcupine date?
Yes. Our research with Guangdong Pharmaceutical University was published in MDPI Pharmaceuticals (2026, DOI: 10.3390/ph19040563) — an animal-model study in rats. It provides a basis for further research but cannot be directly extrapolated to humans. The detailed data and mechanism are on our technical page.
Is porcupine date a medicine? Can it treat illness?
No. Porcupine date is a traditional natural health product, not a registered medicine or therapeutic product. It cannot diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and cannot replace a doctor’s treatment. If you have a health condition, follow your doctor’s diagnosis and plan.
