Insects, one of the species members on Earth, are not merely eye candy or eye broccoli on the level of superficiality. Some of these insects whose entire or partial biological properties, in fact, contribute vastly to the treatment of diseases as well as to human health therapies. Check out below to identify our lifesavers and their pharmaceutical functions.
(i) Medicamentous bee venom
Bee venom is extracted from bee stinger and is known to be rich in enzymes. Such venomous ingredient is used for treatment of various skin diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, and even multiple sclerosis. Who says bee sting is always harmful?
(ii) Maggots for wound dressing
Despite their distasteful looks, maggots can be applied on slow-healing and messy wounds on the skin for the function of debridement. This is because maggots can eat away the bacteria that caused the infection and thereby clean out the dead tissues in the wounds. Ergo, they are unbelievable wound sanitizers!
(iii) Blowfly larvae treatment
Blowfly likes to lay and deposit its eggs on meat, carcasses and in wounds. Its larvae secrete a kind of curative chemical known as allantoin which is commonly used by doctors to treat wounds and the infectious bone disease – osteomyelitis. Erk!!
(iv) Spiderweb as substitute for bandage 
It is discovered by researchers that cobweb, an extraordinary material that outclasses any man-made fiber and is even stronger than steel sixfold, can be used as a replacement for bandage to dress wound. Moreover, the spider silk has the potential of being used in ligament repair and bone grafting. Here comes Spidey …..
(v) Silkworm to cure heart disease and prevent stroke
Silkworm produces a substance known as Serratia E15, a source of healthy bacteria within its intestine. Such substance is essential in dissolving the cocoon from which a silkworm emerges so that its transformation into a moth becomes possible. Because of this, Serratia E15 possesses rich enzymes and has an anti-inflammatory agent when, injected into a human body, helps to dissolve and digest the damaged tissues and substances in the body (such as cholesterol, fats and other clotting agents) that can cause the buildup of plaque in the arteries leading to heart disease; hence, it is very effective in protection against heart attack and stroke.
To be continued …
References:
http://www.beevenom.com/beevenomtherapy.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggot_therapy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnoentomology#Insects_in_medicine