Insects as Medicine (Entomotherapy)

This presentation consists of different insects used for medicinal purpose in day-to-day life for curing diseases without any side effects. The craze of use of insects in medical treatments now-a-days increasing and also proved successful for curing many non curable disease and infections in human body. Many synthetic derivatives are also available in markets. This slide show contains insects and their products used for medical purpose.

1. WELCOME

2. Department of Entomology & Agricultural Zoology Institute of Agricultural Sciences, BHU Varanasi - 221005 PRESENTATION ON ‘INSECTS AS MEDICINE’ – An Innovative Approach in Medical Entomology SPEAKER : Sandeep Kumar Sathua M.Sc Entomology & Agril . Zoology

3. 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.

4. Are Insects Ever Used in Medicine? Do we have to eat insects to get cure ? What if it will do harm to our body ?

5. Why to Study Insects as Medicine ? Since early times, insects and their products have been used directly and indirectly in the medical systems of different human cultures throughout the world I nsects 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 resistance problem was found for any diseases

6. 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 Terminologies

7. Subject of Entomotherapy can be studied into two parts : 1-Traditional and HISTORICAL Use of Insects in Medicine 2- Modern or Scientific Use of Insects in Medicine

8. Traditional and HISTORICAL Use of Insects in Medicine 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 .

9. e.g. The Chinese Black Mountain Ant , ( Polyrachis   v icina ) 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

10. 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.

11. 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

12. Modern Scientific Use of Insects in Medicine 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

13. MAGGOT DEBRIDEMENT THERAPY 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. ” Flies Responsible Order- Diptera -family Calliphoridae - the BLOW FLIES -family Sarcophagidae - the FLESH FLIES The commonly found/used species : Phormia regina , Lucillia sericata

14. 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

15. STEP - 1 STEP - 2 STEP - 3 Mechanism: 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.

16. Benefits : E specially 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 )

17. 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 APITHERAPY

18. APIPUNCTURE 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  r heumatoid arthritis  and  m ultiple 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 injection Bee venom

19. Bee venom products in India

20. Prevent cancer and heart disease Reduce ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal Increase athletic performance Reduce cough and throat irritation Antioxidants Heal wounds and burns Probiotic Beautiful skin Blood sugar regulation Honey As Medicine Bee Products As Medicine

21. 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

22. LEECH THERAPY / HIRUDOTHERAPY 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 m edinalis

23. 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

24. ( Leech therapy for finger thrombosis in leg )

25. Blister beetle or Spanish fly- Mylabris postulata , Lytta vesicatoria Meloidae : Coleoptera Cantharidin - 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 “Blister beetle or Spanish fly Juice” Therapy Blistering agent of 30 mg is fatal dose for humans

26. Spanish fly medical products

27. 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. Burchelli Dorylus grobodoi Camponotus vicinus ANT SUTURES

28. 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

29. 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 F or preparation medicine for alcohol addict person Evidence of use for preparation of anesthesia Psychoactive Scorpions Venom Ingredients : Buthotoxin  ( Katsutoxin ),  Hydroxylamin , Lecithin, Cholesterol, Stearinsaure , Palmitinsaure , Trimethylamin , Betain,Taurin .

30. Products made f rom Insects with medical importance? Honey propolis Shellac or Lac 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 )

31. LAC / SELLAC : 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 S ticklac is crushed, sieved and then repeatedly washed and the resulting product is known as  seedlac

32. 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

33. CARMINE   A lso 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   C ochineal  scale and certain  Porphyrophora   species USE : 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 A lso used in cosmetic products like eye shadow and lipstick ( Porphyrophora   sps .) ( D. coccus   )

34. 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 ’. History : 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 . Recent STATUS: 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

35. Medical uses For fighting infections B oosting the immune system H ealing genital herpes and cold sores T reating skin injuries H elping 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

36. ( PROPOLIS HAIR GROW TEST ) (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Dec 10 08:10:32 EST, 2014)

37. INSECT ENZYME AS MEDICINE 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

38. CONCLUSION 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

39. References 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

40. ‘ Thank you all ’ fo r being a part of t his presentation. I appreciate your presence here