Although ‘tiger bone wine’ has been used in TCM for at least 1 000 years or more, there are no known medicinal properties. Chinese practitioners believe that it is the calcium and protein found in the bone that acts as the healing properties. Recent research indicates that users are also buying 100g ‘tiger cakes’ (prices in 2014 were approximately $1 000 per cake) and using portions sprinkled into rice wine or whiskey in the belief that it improves sexual prowess.