Immunomodulatory Potential of <i>Coridius nepalensis</i> on Cyclophosphamide Induced Mice: Most Desired Edible Insect among Ethnic People of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

The traditional practice of consuming insects and exploring their medicinal usage around the world has aroused interest in the search for novel pharmaceuticals derived from natural biological resources, offering a promising avenue for drug discovery with minimal side effects and serving as a viable alternative to conventional medications. The intake of insects as food by humans is widespread among various ethnic groups of Arunachal Pradesh and other North Eastern regions of India. For centuries, Coridius nepalensis (Cn), a hemipteran bug, has been valued as a traditional culinary delicacy by the ethnic people of Arunachal Pradesh. Cn is rich in dietary fibres, fats, essential fatty acids, amino acids, protein, minerals and vitamins. In order to take full advantage of Cn, the current study was designed to explore the possible immunomodulatory potential of Cn on immune suppressed mice induced through cyclophosphamide (CP). The results of the present study indicate that Cn could attenuate the effect of cyclophosphamide on mice models, where Cn could restore: indices of both thymus and spleen, body weight, red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) count, could stimulate the response of delayed type hypersensitivity, elevate the levels of the immune factors interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in addition to the proliferation of Concanavalin A induced mitogenic response for lymphocyte proliferation. Our findings suggest that Cn extract has the potential for immunomodulation, and can act as a health food supplement and a strategy to prevent the well-known immunosuppressant effects of CP. This study also reflects how sensibly the ethnic people of Arunachal had chosen this insect as one of the most preferred foods that often is little known.