Recently, a man from Zhaoqing, South China’s Guangdong Province, found the seahorses he had bought were actually made of plastic when cleaning the medicinal materials. Photo: web

Recently, a man from Zhaoqing, South China's Guangdong Province, found the seahorses he had bought were actually made of plastic when cleaning the medicinal materials. According to him, the seahorses and sea dragons could not be torn apart, shrank when being burned, and had a distinct plastic smell.

The man surnamed Wang said that he did not notice any abnormalities when initially soaking them in the medicinal liquor, which is believed to do good to people's health. The seahorses were brought by a friend who sold him for over 30 yuan ($4.2) for a pair. Fortunately, he did not experience any discomfort after drinking the medicinal liquor.

He reminded people online to be cautious when purchasing medicinal materials to avoid buying counterfeit and inferior products that could affect their health. Experts suggested that when purchasing medicinal materials such as seahorses and sea dragons, it is important to observe their appearance, color, texture, and other characteristics. Genuine seahorses and sea dragons should have a certain level of elasticity, while plastic products are usually harder and not easily torn. If possible, it is recommended to consult professionals or conduct relevant tests before making a purchase to ensure the authenticity of the medicinal materials.