"Disinfectant-Grade" packaging rebranded as "Medical-Grade," does the "miracle" of Zhixiu's gel rely on borderline marketing tactics?

Source: Beijing Business Today Author: Ding Ning Editor: Dong Liang

After becoming a new mother, Meng Li (pseudonym) encountered a “hidden embarrassment”: whenever she sneezes, laughs hard, or stands up after sitting for a long time, she experiences urinary incontinence. This common postpartum health issue has become a taboo for many women and has also fueled a secret and highly profitable business. Beijing Business Today investigation found that a “Zhengzhen Yimucao Propolis Antibacterial Gel,” priced as low as 16 yuan, is wildly popular on e-commerce platforms with the selling point of “pelvic floor muscle tightening.” Just in one store called “Jinzhiyan Health,” over 50,000 units have been sold. However, this “medical-grade” miraculous gel is actually only a “disinfection” product with a “Xiaocheng” (消字号) approval, and it has no therapeutic function.

The advertising slogan “Conscientious medicine, trustworthy medicine, effective medicine” from Zhengzhen Pharmaceutical is familiar to consumers. Besides expectations of pelvic floor muscle repair, consumers also trust the well-established Zhengzhen Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Zhengzhen Pharma”). As a company founded over 30 years ago, the “Zhengzhen” brand is well known. However, the manufacturing enterprise behind the product is not Zhengzhen Pharma but Shandong Haichuan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Haichuan Pharma”).

A box of the OEM gel costing only 16 yuan reflects not only the chaotic marketing practices but also the dilemma Zhengzhen Pharma has faced over the years as a major OEM, raising the urgent question of how to regulate OEM operations.

“Pelvic Floor Muscle Tightening”

Searching for “pelvic floor muscle repair” on e-commerce platforms, Meng Li was attracted by a product labeled “Postpartum Must-Use” and “Pelvic Floor Muscle Tightening Gel.” The full name of the product is Zhengzhen Yimucao Propolis Antibacterial Gel, which inhibits Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans.

In the store “Jinzhiyan Health,” the lowest price for one box is 16 yuan. The packaging indicates that each unit is 3g, with four units per box. The scope of use is for vaginal mucosa and perineal skin. It explicitly states that it is not a medicine and has no therapeutic, nursing, or health care effects.

However, the product description on the detail page deviates from this. It claims that the product can be used for postpartum urinary leakage, fungal infections, and even includes explicit language, mentioning it as “medical-grade.” These claimed effects are beyond what a simple antibacterial product can achieve.

The platform shows that Jinzhiyan Health has sold over 5 million units, with more than 50,000 units of Zhengzhen Yimucao Propolis Antibacterial Gel sold. The online store operator is Guangzhou Jinzhi Yan E-commerce Co., Ltd. When the reporter inquired as a consumer about why this product is categorized as such, the customer service only replied that it is “extracted from pure traditional herbal plants” and did not directly answer the question.

Obstetrician and gynecologist Song Ping (pseudonym) told Beijing Business Today that claiming an external antibacterial gel can “tighten the pelvic floor muscles” has no scientific basis from a Western medical perspective and is generally not recommended in clinical practice.

The main ingredients of this gel include traditional Chinese medicine components such as Yimucao (Motherwort), propolis, and Sophora flavescens, as well as chemical ingredients like chlorhexidine acetate. A traditional Chinese medicine doctor explained that Yimucao traditionally has effects such as promoting blood circulation, regulating menstruation, and clearing heat and detoxification, but it is not万能. The product also claims to have expanded effects. Moreover, it is not purely herbal; some chemical substances are added, and it is unclear whether pharmacological or toxicological tests have been conducted, which could alter the properties of traditional Chinese medicine.

Song Ping advised that postpartum women experiencing lower abdominal distension, urinary leakage, or uterine and bladder prolapse should seek outpatient evaluation before deciding on treatment.

Deng Yong, director of the Center for Health Law and Innovation Transformation at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, emphasized that women postpartum with pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation needs should adopt a scientific approach to product selection. First, verify the product batch number; devices with pelvic floor rehabilitation functions should hold a Class II medical device certificate, and medicines should have drug approval numbers. Second, prioritize official medical channels, undergo professional pelvic floor assessment, and receive standardized rehabilitation treatment at hospitals. Daily Kegel exercises are the safest and most economical method.

Actually a Disinfection Product

It is noteworthy that the gel product is only a “Xiaocheng” (disinfection) product.

The packaging shows that it has obtained a disinfection product health permit, with the license number Lu Wei Xiao Zheng Zi (2019) No. 0143. According to the national disinfection product online record information service platform, Zhengzhen Yimucao Propolis Antibacterial Gel is classified as a second-class disinfectant, with the responsible unit being Haichuan Pharma.

According to the “Disinfection Product Hygiene Safety Evaluation Regulations” and other relevant national health department regulations, second-class disinfectants include disinfectants, disinfecting instruments, chemical indicators, sterilized packaging with sterilization marks, and antimicrobial agents, excluding first-class products.

“Official ‘Xiaocheng’ products are generally not recommended for long-term use inside the vagina, especially for daily care, rinsing, or suppositories. The vagina has its own microbiota balance, and ‘Xiaocheng’ products often contain antibacterial and sterilizing ingredients that can kill both good and bad bacteria, disrupting the acidic environment, which may lead to vaginal flora imbalance,” said Song Ping.

Deng Yong also stated that from a medical perspective, claims that external antibacterial gels can “tighten the pelvic floor muscles” lack scientific basis. Vaginal relaxation is mainly caused by postpartum relaxation of pelvic floor muscles, fascia, and ligaments, which is a decline in muscle and support structure function. Standard treatments include Kegel exercises, pelvic floor rehabilitation devices, or surgery, aimed at targeted strengthening of pelvic floor muscles. The gel, being only a “Xiaocheng” product, only has external vulvar antibacterial and disinfectant effects; its ingredients cannot penetrate mucous membranes to act on pelvic floor muscles or repair support structures. The claims of “firming, pinkening, and treating gynecological diseases” are beyond the scope of disinfectant products and are typical exaggerated marketing. Long-term misuse may also damage vaginal flora, cause inflammation, and delay proper pelvic floor and gynecological treatment.

Senior partner and lawyer Sun Yuhao of Shanghai Huhua Yongtai Law Firm told Beijing Business Today that Article 31, Paragraph 2 of the Disinfection Management Measures clearly requires that the labels and promotional content of disinfectants must be truthful and must not imply or claim disease treatment effects.

He also pointed out that using terms like “medical-grade” in e-commerce promotions can mislead consumers into confusing disinfectant products with medicines or medical devices, which have different safety and efficacy standards. Under Article 28 of the Advertising Law of the People’s Republic of China, such false or misleading claims constitute false advertising and can lead to legal liabilities.

OEM Major Player

The reason consumers are willing to pay is their trust in the well-established Zhengzhen Pharma.

Some comments in the review section say: “I’ve been using Zhengzhen brand, bought several times,” “Big brand gel, trustworthy,” “After all, it’s a reputable brand.”

The product packaging displays Zhengzhen Pharma’s official mall address, customer service hotline, and anti-counterfeiting QR code. However, the manufacturer is not Zhengzhen Pharma but a company based in Zaozhuang, Shandong—Haichuan Pharma, which has no ownership or legal ties to Zhengzhen Pharma.

Tianyancha shows that Haichuan Pharma was established in 2019 with a registered capital of 10 million yuan, and as of 2025, it has zero employees enrolled in social insurance. Since 2024, it has been repeatedly penalized by the Zaozhuang Municipal Health Commission and the Xuecheng District Health Bureau for issues such as non-compliance with labeling and instructions, failure to conduct hygiene safety evaluations, and violations of disinfection management regulations.

When the Beijing Business Today reporter asked the e-commerce seller about the relationship between this product and Zhengzhen Pharma, the seller claimed it was part of Zhengzhen’s specialized care product line and repeatedly emphasized that it was a “genuine product, with anti-counterfeiting verification.”

The reporter purchased a box of the product and verified via QR code that it was indeed distributed by Zhengzhen Pharma.

Regarding whether Haichuan Pharma has obtained authorization from Zhengzhen Pharma or whether Zhengzhen supervises and manages the platform’s promotion, the reporter contacted both companies for interviews but received no response as of publication.

In fact, cases where the manufacturer and trademark owner are different are not uncommon in the health industry, often called “OEM/ODM” or “OEM branding.” Simply put, brand owners delegate manufacturing to other factories or select finished products from other manufacturers, then rebrand and market them.

A sales representative claiming to offer OEM services told the reporter that they could obtain authorization from Zhengzhen Pharma, but it requires certain thresholds: a factory deposit of 100,000 yuan, a store deposit of 20,000 yuan per shop, an authorization fee of 20,000 yuan, and factory inspection. Additionally, a 50% gross profit share on the ex-factory price is required.

In recent years, OEM products have frequently faced quality issues. Industry insiders point out that OEM mode can easily lead to “multiple sets of certificates” and illegal additives.

Sun Yuhao explained that brand owners have a legal obligation to supervise and review OEM products’ quality and promotional content. Under the brand licensing model, the trademark owner must conduct substantive quality supervision and review promotional claims to prevent false advertising. When violations occur, the brand owner bears joint liability for consumer deception or infringement, and regulatory authorities can impose administrative penalties on the brand owner.

Deng Yong believes that the business model of OEM expansion by established pharmaceutical companies can help quickly capture the health market and increase revenue and channels in the short term. However, long-term risks are significant. Outsourcing production and sales through licensing can lead to poor quality control and uncontrolled marketing, damaging the company’s brand reputation accumulated over years, causing consumer trust crises, and even affecting core pharmaceutical business. Exaggerated marketing and illegal promotion can also result in regulatory penalties and consumer complaints, impacting business stability. Over-reliance on OEM “selling labels” may cause pharmaceutical companies to focus more on marketing than R&D, gradually losing their core pharmaceutical attributes and becoming brand leasing entities, weakening their competitiveness.

Hesitating at the Capital Market Gate

Founded in 1995, Zhengzhen Pharma has become a large modern private pharmaceutical enterprise integrating research, production, marketing of finished drugs, chemical pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, pharmacy chain operations, and standard cultivation of Chinese medicinal materials. Compared to its steadily expanding business scale, the company’s path to capital markets has been somewhat bumpy, and it has yet to go public.

According to Zhengzhen Pharma’s official website, as of the end of 2023, the group has 159 subsidiaries with over 100,000 employees. It offers 24 dosage forms and over 2,000 varieties of medicines and health products. It has 109 proprietary products, with nationwide sales and the largest OTC market network.

Zhengzhen Pharma completed a shareholding reform as early as 2004. Over the years, there have been multiple rumors of seeking a backdoor listing, but none have materialized.

In July 2019, Zhengzhen Pharma appeared in an announcement by Jiyao Holdings, which was still listed on the A-share market, stating it planned to acquire 100% of Zhengzhen Pharma through a share issuance, seen as a “reverse takeover” attempt.

However, this restructuring was halted within two weeks. Jiyao Holdings stated that “during the process of restructuring, after thorough deliberation, the plan was not feasible at this time, and there were significant uncertainties. After careful consideration, the company decided to terminate this major asset restructuring.” Zhengzhen Pharma’s A-share listing attempt thus failed.

Six years later, Zhengzhen Pharma made another move into capital markets, but the approach changed. In July 2025, a related company of Zhengzhen Pharma, Jilin Zhengzhen Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd. (“Jilin Zhengzhen”), signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S. Nasdaq-listed Fuyuan Group, planning to inject its animal-related sectors (including pet and livestock medicines, food, and supplements) into Fuyuan Group, with Jilin Zhengzhen acquiring a controlling stake. This is seen as an attempt by Zhengzhen Pharma to achieve overseas listing through business spin-offs.

However, for Zhengzhen Pharma, gaining recognition from the capital market for its core competitiveness and long-term R&D capabilities remains a challenge. Analysts suggest that the risks associated with OEM product quality control and R&D investment “value” could be potential obstacles to its IPO.

Moreover, Zhengzhen Pharma continues to expand. Earlier this year, it acquired an 87.9% stake in Jinan Aimin Pharmaceutical, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine company in Shandong.

The company’s vision, as stated on its website, is to achieve sales revenue of 100 billion yuan within ten years and reach 1 trillion yuan by 2030, aiming to become one of the top 100 pharmaceutical companies worldwide. For Zhengzhen Pharma, perhaps a more urgent task than becoming a “world top 100” is to uphold its original intention of “good, reliable medicines,” supervise authorized products diligently, and ensure consumers can trust and dare to use their products.

Beijing Business Today Ding Ning

(Edited by: Wen Jing)

Keywords: Zhengzhen