Unravelling the potential of insects for medicinal purposes – A comprehensive review
Shahida Anusha Siddiqui,
Chujun Li,
Owusu Fordjour Aidoo,
Ito Fernando,
Moawiya A. Haddad,
Jorge A.M. Pereira,
Andrey Blinov,
Andrey Golik,
José S. Câmara
Affiliations
Shahida Anusha Siddiqui
Technical University of Munich Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Essigberg 3, 94315 Straubing, Germany; German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL e.V.), Prof.-von-Klitzing Str. 7, 49610 D-Quakenbrück, Germany; Corresponding author. Technical University of Munich Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Essigberg 3, 94315 Straubing, Germany.
Chujun Li
Guangzhou Unique Biotechnology Co., Ltd, 510663, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
Owusu Fordjour Aidoo
Department of Biological, Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, 00233, Somanya, Ghana
Ito Fernando
Department of Plant Pest and Diseases, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65145, East Java, Indonesia
Moawiya A. Haddad
Department of Nutrition and Food Processing, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University, 19117, Al-Salt, Jordan
Jorge A.M. Pereira
CQM – Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
Andrey Blinov
North Caucasus Federal University, Pushkina Street 1, 355009, Stavropol, Russia
Andrey Golik
North Caucasus Federal University, Pushkina Street 1, 355009, Stavropol, Russia
José S. Câmara
CQM – Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal; Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e Engenharia, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal; Corresponding author. CQM – Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal.
Entomotherapy, the use of insects for medicinal purposes, has been practised for centuries in many countries around the world. More than 2100 edible insect species are eaten by humans, but little is known about the possibility of using these insects as a promising alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals for treating diseases. This review offers a fundamental understanding of the therapeutic applications of insects and how they might be used in medicine. In this review, 235 insect species from 15 orders are reported to be used as medicine. Hymenoptera contains the largest medicinal insect species, followed by Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, and Blattodea. Scientists have examined and validated the potential uses of insects along with their products and by-products in treating various diseases, and records show that they are primarily used to treat digestive and skin disorders. Insects are known to be rich sources of bioactive compounds, explaining their therapeutic features such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and so on. Challenges associated with the consumption of insects (entomophagy) and their therapeutic uses include regulation barriers and consumer acceptance. Moreover, the overexploitation of medicinal insects in their natural habitat has led to a population crisis, thus necessitating the investigation and development of their mass-rearing procedure. Lastly, this review suggests potential directions for developing insects used in medicine and offers advice for scientists interested in entomotherapy. In future, entomotherapy may become a sustainable and cost-effective solution for treating various ailments and has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine.
