Insects in medicine

Insects have long been used in medicine, both traditional and modern, sometimes with little evidence of their effectiveness. For the purpose of the article, and in line with custom, medicinal uses of other arthropods such as spiders are included.

The medicinal uses of insects were often defined by the Doctrine of Signatures, which stated that an organism bearing parts that resemble human body parts, animals, or other objects, was thought to have useful relevance to those parts, animals or objects. So, for example, the femurs of grasshoppers, which were said to resemble the human liver, were used to treat liver ailments by the indigenous peoples of Mexico. This doctrine is common throughout traditional and alternative medicine, but is most prominent where medical traditions are broadly accepted, as in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, and less by community and family based medicine, as is more common in parts of Africa.

Traditional Chinese Medicine includes the use of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, exercise, and dietary therapy. It is a typical component of modern medical care throughout East Asia and in some parts of Southeast Asia (such as Thailand). Insects are very commonly incorporated as part of the herbal medicine component of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and their medical properties and applications are broadly accepted and agreed upon. Some brief examples follow:

Centipede is used to treat tetanus, seizures, and convulsions. It is also said to relieve sores and carbuncles on the skin, to alleviate pain, especially that of headaches, and to be a cure for snakebite. Centipede is typically dried, ground into a paste, and applied topically to the afflicted area.

The Chinese Black Mountain Ant, Polyrhachis vicina, is supposed to act as a cure all and is widely used, especially by the elderly. It is said to prolong life, to have anti-aging properties, to replenish Qi, and to increase virility and fertility. Recent interest in the ants' medicinal qualities by British researchers has led to investigations into the extract's ability to serve as a cancer-fighting agent. Chinese Black Mountain Ant extract is typically consumed mixed with wine.

Ayurveda is ancient traditional Indian treatment almost universally incorporated alongside Western medicine as a typical component of medical treatment in India. Although Ayurvedic medicine is often effective, doses can be inconsistent, and are too often contaminated with toxic heavy metals. Some brief examples to follow:

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