Products of Sericulture and Their Hypoglycemic Action Evaluated by Using the Silkworm, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), as a Model.

Salvador D Aznar-Cervantes,Beatriz Monteagudo Santesteban,José L Cenis

doi:10.3390/insects12121059

Salvador D Aznar-Cervantes, Beatriz Monteagudo Santesteban + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12121059

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Journal: Insects	Publication Date: Nov 25, 2021
Citations: 10	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria

Abstract

Simple SummaryThe use of invertebrates as animal models is gaining attention within the scientific community due to numerous advantages during the development of the experiments, low cost of rearing, and fewer ethical problems. The well-documented biology of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) makes this insect an ideal candidate to be used in different fields of research. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of using the silkworm to evaluate the hypoglycemic action of various products of sericulture included in the diet after promoting glucose or sucrose-induced hyperglycemia in silkworms. The postprandial antihyperglycemic activity of fibroin, sericin, and powder made from pupae of silkworms is confirmed. These natural products are therefore ideal candidates for the prevention and treatment of diabetes, obesity, and other lifestyle-related diseases.Sericulture generates different natural products with potential medical applications. Silk peptides, worms, or even pupae are commonly employed in traditional Asian medicine with a wide variety of purposes, and some scientific work has been focused on their antidiabetic properties. This work evaluates the postprandial antihyperglycemic activity of fibroin, sericin, and powder made from either larvae or pupae of silkworms, and Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), employing the silkworm itself as an animal model. The results indicate a reduction in the glucose levels in hemolymph after sucrose or glucose-induced hyperglycemia when these products are included in the diet of the worms.

Highlights

The growing number of studies targeting natural compounds to treat various pathologies suggests the importance of this field of research within the scientific community
The powder made from silkworm larvae induces a reduction of plasma glucose level [6,7] due to the presence of 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) ingested and accumulated during the feeding with mulberry leaves
DNJ presents α-glucosidase inhibitory effect [8], and the silkworm powder inhibits the expression of glucose transporter (SGLT1) of human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 [9]

Summary

Introduction

The growing number of studies targeting natural compounds to treat various pathologies suggests the importance of this field of research within the scientific community. The silk is degummed, and it is used for the textile industry or some incipient biomedical applications Throughout this process, several potential products of medical interest are generated. This is not surprising, given the multiple applications attributed to the silkworms or the silk proteins (fibroin and sericin) in Asia. The powder produced from dehydrated silkworm chrysalides (pupae) has demonstrated potential medical uses presenting notable activities, such as increasing fat metabolism in rats [1], increasing levels of nitrite and nitric oxide synthase expression in a model of erectile dysfunction in rats [2], inducing apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells [3], and constituting a healthy nutritional source of protein and fat [4,5]. Fibroin, sericin or peptides, and hydrolysates derived from cocoons present α-glucosidase inhibitory activity as previously stated in several studies [6,12,13,14]

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