Insects as Medicine (Entomotherapy)
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Transcript of Insects as Medicine (Entomotherapy)
INTRODUCTION
• The 43 species of medicinal insects were identified
• They belonged in 16 families in 6 orders and include
grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, bugs, mealy bugs,
beetles, butterflies, ants, and bees.
• The number of insects per order ,arise from 9 in the
Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and ants) to only 3 in the
Lepidoptera (butterflies).
• Although, for the most part insects were used in the
adult stage, it must be mentioned that usually only
certain parts of any given species of insect were
considered efficacious and were employed in the
medicinal preparation.
Are Insects Ever Used in Medicine?
Do we have to eat insects to get cure ?
What if it will do harm to our body ?
Since early times, insects and their products have
been used directly and indirectly in the medical
systems of different human cultures throughout the
world
Insects have proven as sources of drugs for
modern medicine since they have immunological,
analgesic, antibacterial, diuretic, anesthetic and
anti rheumatic properties (Yamakawa, 1998).
Insect by-products are also very important both as
folk medicines and potential modern drugs
It has no side effects and also no resistanceproblem was found for any diseases
Medical Entomology is the study of
insects of medical importance.
Ethnoentomology is the study of the
relationship between insects and people.
Entomotherapy is the study of use of
insects and insect products for treatment
purpose
1. Insects bearing parts that resemble human body
parts, was thought to have useful relevance to
those parts, animals or objects.
e.g. the femurs of grasshopper, which were said to
resemble the human liver
2. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) includes the
use of herbal medicine along with insects as an
integrated part.e.g. Centipede is typically dried, ground into a paste,
and applied to the afflicted area to cure snake bite,
headache and muscle soreness.
e.g. The Chinese Black Mountain Ant,
(Polyrachis vicina) is supposed to prolong life
and have anti-aging properties
3. India and Ayurveda
Ayurveda is ancient traditional Indian treatment which also
mentioned
e.g. Use of termites and mound are together
ground and consumed to cure ulcers, rheumatic diseases,
and anemia
e.g. Jatropha Leaf Miner are harvested, boiled, and
mashed into a paste induce lactation, reduce
fever, and sooth gastrointestinal tracts
Insect Tribes Diseases Parts used
Ant Paniyan tribes Scabies Anthill
Black beetle Irular tribes Malaria Insect
Wasp
(Eumenes sp)
Kurichchan Headache Wasp nest
Termite
(O. formesanus)
Kurichchan Ulcer Termite
Mudugar
Irular
Kanikkaram
Anaemia
Rheumatics
Anemia
Enhance lactation
Termite
Termatorium
Termite
Insects & insect products in South Indian traditional medicine
Wilsanand et.al, 2012
Indian J Traditional Knowledge , 6(4): 563-568.
4. In Africa
e.g. Grasshoppers were typically collected, dried in the
sun, and then ground into a powder. The powder can then
applied to the forehead to alleviate the pain of violent
headaches
5. In America
e.g. Chapulines or grasshoppers are said to serve as
diuretic to treat kidney diseases, to reduce swelling, and to
relieve the pain of intestinal disorders
e.g. The silkworm (Bombyx mori) immatures and boiled
pupae were eaten to treat apoplexy, bronchitis,
pneumonia, convulsions, hemorrhages, and frequent
urination
It consists of
Maggot Therapy Apitherapy Leech Therapy (Non Insect) Blister Beetle and Spanish Fly Ant sutures Psychoactive Scorpions (Non Insect) Insect enzyme as medicine
The first recorded use of it was during World War II
Wound antisepsis (putrefaction)
“infection of the organs or tissues of man or animals by
fly larvae for a period of time, those feed upon the dead
tissues.”
Order- Diptera
-family Calliphoridae - the BLOW FLIES
-family Sarcophagidae - the FLESH FLIES
The commonly found/used species :
Phormia regina , Lucillia sericata
Production procedure:
• Eggs are surface sterilized and placed on a
food source (horse meat normally)
• 2 day old larvae inoculated into wound larvae
flushed out with saline in 3 or 4 days and
younger larvae added as necessary.
History The U.S. FDA allowed the production of
Phaenicia sericata larvae (January 2004)
Marketed under the brand name Medical
Maggots (TM).
In February, 2006, the British National
Health Service (NHS) permitted doctors to
prescribe maggot
STEP - 1 STEP - 2 STEP - 3
In this therapy live, disinfected fly larvae introduced into non-
healing or soft tissue wounds of a human or other animal for
the purpose of selectively cleaning out only the necrotic tissue within a wound in order to promote wound healing.
Benefits :
– Especially helpful in cases of bone infections
– Along with cleaning up of dead tissue, they also
produced an endogenous antibiotic
– They secrete ammonia & calcium carbonate
which promote quick healing
– A resurgent technology
– No side effects
Comparative study of Conventional Vs maggot therapy
against Diabetic Foot Ulcer
(Ronald A. Sherman, MD
Department of Medicine, University of
California, Irvine, California )
HONEY
PROPOLIS
BEE WAX
BEE POLLEN
ROYAL JELLY
Apitherapy is the medical use of honeybee and bee
products such as honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and bee venom against disease and disorders
BEE VENOM
Apipuncture is the therapy by means of bee sting
One of the major peptides in bee venom, called Mellitin
Mellitin used to treat inflammation in sufferers
of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis
It blocks the expression of inflammatory genes, thus
reducing swelling and pain
It is administered by direct insect sting or
intramuscular injections
Direct sting
Intramuscular injectionBee venom
1. Prevent cancer and heart disease
2. Reduce ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders
3. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal
4. Increase athletic performance
5. Reduce cough and throat irritation
6. Antioxidants
7. Heal wounds and burns
8. Probiotic
9. Beautiful skin
10.Blood sugar regulation
BEES WAX- ( Vitamin A )
Cell development & skin epithelium antiseptic
property
Body lotions, coating for pills-facilitates
ingestion
POLLEN - Vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, C, E), amino
acids, and Ca, Fe, K, P, and Na.
Skin diseases, health restorative, ulcers etc.
ROYAL JELLY-
Used to treat anemia, gastrointestinal ulcers,
arteriosclerosis, hypo- and hypertension,
and inhibition of sexual limitations
Cell regeneration & bone marrow production
and balance the endocrine system
Hirudotherapy is a medical treatment that uses leeches
It is discovered by J. B. Haycraft in 1884
Approved as a medical therapy by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA)
At first, leeches were used for headache, gangrene and
imbalances of the blood flow
Today used Effectively for :
Reddness and Swelling (inflammation).
Improving blood circulation.
Venous obstruction & in plastic surgery
Hirudo medinalis
How does it work?
Used for conditions where blood clots is a problem
Leeches secrete a natural blood thinner (Hirudin)that helps keep the blood flowing and improves
survival of the tissue
It injects an anti-clotting chemical that can keep blood
leaking from the wound for hours
Dosing
For skin grafts and similar conditions: 2-5 leeches are
applied until they fall off after about 15-20 minutes.
The process is then repeated if area is large
Blister beetle or Spanish fly-
Mylabris postulata, Lytta vesicatoria
Meloidae : Coleoptera
- A defensive chemical produced by
blister beetles to ward off predator attacks by
reflex bleeding
Beetles contain up to 1% cantharidin by weight
This was accepted by the FDA in 2004 as
treatment for warts, skin problems
Inhibit ovarian cancer cell, uro-genital tract
and kidney infections and act as sex stimulant
Blistering agent of 30 mg is
fatal dose for humans
• It is an ancient practice, the mandibles of soldier
ants have been used as stitches.
• The ant, most commonly carpenter, leaf-cutting, or
army ants
Commonly used ant genera:
– Camponotus spp. - carpenter ants
– Atta coclombica- leaf-cutter ants
– Eciton bruchelli - army ants worker
E. BurchelliDorylus grobodoi Camponotus vicinus
Procedure
The mandibles were placed around the wound or
cut to be stitched and then the mouth allowed to
close. The ant's body was then pinched away,
leaving the head to clamp the wound shut.
Before Treatment During Treatment After Treatment
In Afghanistan and India people used to smoke
dried scorpions or use scorpion stings to get high
when heroin is not available
The ‘scorpion sting craze’ increased in India due to
decreasing availability of drugs and alcohol to youth
USE:
• Venom used for preparation of Cancer medicine
• For preparation medicine for alcohol addict person
• Evidence of use for preparation of anesthesia
Venom Ingredients:
Buthotoxin (Katsutoxin), Hydroxylamin, Lecithin,
Cholesterol, Stearinsaure, Palmitinsaure,
Trimethylamin, Betain,Taurin.
1. Honey
2. propolis
3. Shellac or Lac
4. Carmine
HONEY :
There are at least 40 types of honey from Alfalfa
Blueberry, Buckwheat, Clover, Manuka, Orange blossom
– each one has distinctive taste and unique medical
properties
Darker honey tends to have higher antioxidant levels
Monofloral honey (honey from a single plant species)
usually has the lowest glycemic index (GI)
Lac is the scarlet resinous secretion of a number of
species of lac insect, of which the most commonly
cultivated species is Kerria lacca.
Scientific Name(s): Laccifer lacca . Family: Coccidae
Common Name(s): Shellac , lac , gommelaque , lacca
Sticklac Seedlac
TYPES OF LAC
Insect secretion coated branches of
the host trees are cut and harvested
as sticklac
Sticklac is crushed, sieved and then
repeatedly washed and the
resulting product is known as seedlac
MEDICAL USE
Lac is used in folk medicine as
a hepatoprotective and anti-obesity drug
It is mostly used as furniture finish, but also been
used in the pharmaceutical industry, dentistry and in
cosmetics.
Dentists used shellac as binding agents for dentures,
restorations and mouldings as a constituent in
“artificial calculus” for training purposes in dental
work.
Also used as an ingredient in hair spray and also
used against mushroom toxins in mice.
Used for medications for skin allergies
Also called crimson lake, cochineal, natural red 4
It is a pigment of a bright-red color obtained content
carminic acid
The pigment is produced from scale insects such as
the Cochineal scale and certain Porphyrophora speciesUSE :
Used as a food dye in many products such as juices, ice
cream, yogurt, and candy for good digestion and also
prevent skin disorder when applied
Also used in cosmetic products like eye shadow and
lipstick
( Porphyrophora sps.)( D. coccus )
PROPOLIS (An Ancient Healer)
What is Propolis ?
Bee combine the sap with their own discharges and
beeswax to create a sticky, greenish-brown product that is
used as a coating or sealing their hives called ‘propolis’.
Thousands of years ago Greeks used it to treat
abscesses.
Assyrians put it on wounds and tumors to fight infection
Egyptians used it embalm mummies.
Today, propolis is an ingredient in many beauty and skin
care products.
Topical forms include creams, ointments, and lotions
Propolis can also be taken orally and comes in tablet,
liquid extract, and capsule form
Medical uses
For fighting infections
Boosting the immune system
Healing genital herpes and cold sores
Treating skin injuries
Helping the mouth heal after dental surgery
As a treatment for allergies
As an antioxidant
In cancer treatment and cancer prevention
Most importantly prevent hair fall and stimulate
new growth
( PROPOLIS HAIR GROW TEST )
(Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Dec 10 08:10:32 EST, 2014)
Serrapeptase
It is an enzyme produced by serratia bacteria living on
silkworms.
Used in treating arterial plaque (Mazzonie, A.,1998),
migraine, back pain, sore throat, asthama etc.
Alternative to NSAIDs, salicylates, Ibuprofen
No neurological and gastrointestinal side effects
Inhibit Carpal tunnel syndrome
Mechanism
Breaks down the insoluble protein ‘fibrinogen’
(glycoprotein helps in formation of blood clots)
Inhibiting the release of pain-inducing amines
• As we all saw that there are a lots of beneficial
insects those can be used as medicine so we must
explore there other importance by research on this
field
• There enormous richness and diversity of
arthropods provide a vast field to study on them for
biomedical research
• Still no side effects of the medicines have seen so
popularly adopted by people
• In India motivation and facilities must be provided to
scientists to study and work for ethnoentomology
• According to my view instead of killing lots of insects
regularly its better to collect and use them in
medicinal researchs
Journals: Human Ecology, Vol. 30, No. 2, June 2002 Eraldo Medeiros
Costa-Neto
J. Elhnobiol. 8(2):195-202 Winter 1988
Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 6(4), October
2007, pp. 563-568
Websites: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20806997
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnoentomology
www.youtube.com
www.altmedrev.com/publications/15/2/124
www.entomon.net/use-of-insects-in-medicine-
agriculture.shtml
http://www.amazingleeches.com/leeches-in-non-surgical-
therapy.html
http://darkshadowghosttours.blogspot.in/2014/08/using-insects-
for-medical-healing.html