• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.315-322
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• 2005

In this study we report on the estrogen activity of silkworm pupa and herb extracts in vitro. The estrogenic activity of these resources was investigated by competition binding assays with estrogen receptor $\alpha(ER{\alpha})\;or\;ER{\beta}$, and viability of MCF-7 cells, a human breast cancer cell line. Saturation ligand-binding analysis of $ER{\alpha}\;and\;ER{\beta}$ revealed that all plant extracts competed with estrogen ligand for binding to both ER subtypes with a similar preference and degree and competed stronger with ligand for binding to $ER{\beta}\;than\;to\;ER{\alpha}$. The highest $ER{\alpha}-binding$ sample was silkworm pupa aqueous extract The highest $ER{\beta}-binding$ sample was silkworm pupa oil. These samples were further tested for bioactivity based on their ability to regulate cell growth rate in ER(+) breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 cells. Our studies showed that silkworm pupa, soritae, sesame, yam, pueraria, malt, ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum, and Curcuma longa significantly stimulated the growth of MCF-7 cells (P<0.05). In summary, these results suggested that silkworm pupa and herbs might be useful as potential phytoestrogens.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.853-857
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• 2001

The effect of silkworm hemolymph on the inhibition of baculovirus-induced insect cell apoptosis was quantitatively investigated using a flow cytometric analysis. Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cell and Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrous virus (AcNPV) were used as a model for insect cell and baculovirus in this study, respectively. Compared with a mammalian cell cycle, the fraction of G1 cells was relatively small in the Sf9 cell cycle. Silkworm hemolymph did not affect the Sf9 cell-cycle distribution before the baculovirus infection. However, the fraction of cells which are not in the sub-G1 phase remained at a high level for 3 days after the infection in the medium without silkworm hemolymph, while it remained at a high level for 7 days after the infection in the medium supplemented with silkworm hemolymph. The fractions of apoptotic cells in the sub-G1 phase were $4.7\%$, and 4 days after infection, $22.7\%$, in the media with and without silkworm hemolymph, respectively.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.6-10
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• 2017

Dissolution of Antheraea yamamai silkworm cocoon was carried out in various solvent systems with various dissolving conditions including dissolution salts, salt concentration, dissolving temperature, and time. General chaotropic salt for Bombyx mori silk fibroin does not work for A. yamamai silkworm cocoon. Lithium bromide 9.3 M at $100^{\circ}C$ also does not work to dissolve wild silkworm cocoon. However, 9 M of lithium thiocyanate treatment at $100^{\circ}C$ induced 100% dissolution of wild silkworm cocoon. But it could not be dissolved lower than $60^{\circ}C$. Like lithium thiocyanate, less than $60^{\circ}C$ treatment with molten calcium nitrate 4 hydrate could not dissolve wild silkworm cocoon. As the dissolution temperature increased up to $100^{\circ}C$, the solubility of wild one was reached over 90%. SDS-PAGE showed broad tailing stream pattern that means the molecule of wild silk was depolymerized with dissolution temperature and time. From the above results, the best chaotropic salt for A.yamamai silkworm cocoon is calcium nitrate 4 hydrate.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.162-168
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• 2014

1-Deoxynojirimycin(1-DNJ or DNJ), a component in silkworm powder, prevents glucose from being absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine by inhibiting ${\alpha}$-glucosidase activity. This study compared the functional components of 1-DNJ from various silkworm species using a gene database with those of 1-DNJ produced by silkworms bred through cross-combinations. We utilized comparisons of geographical origins and species of silkworms using a gene database and discovered that 1-DNJ activity was ranked in the following order by species, Japanese (SK-1) > Chinese (C48) > European (Rock191). 1-DNJ constituted varying percentages of silkworm organs in the following order, blood > epithelial tissue > body fat > silk glands. With regard to sex, 1-DNJ, levels were higher in males than females. However, 1-DNJ levels with respect to various genetic traits (blood color, silk color, and egg color) were consistent. In order to study 1-DNJ changes that occurred during cross breeding of the silkworm gene, we bred cross-combinations utilizing SK-1 and C48 silkworms. In conclusion, in order to provide information about the constituents of functional materials contained in silkworm powder, it is imperative that silkworm cross breeding occurs so that the database of functional materials extracted from silkworms will expand.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.67-72
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• 1972

It was first succeded in rearing the silkworm on the artificial diets in Japan in 1960. Since then, the researches on the artificial diets have been carried out intensively but the artificial diets have not been applied to the silkworm rearing practically till now. There are difficulties in rearing the silkworm on the artificial diets, such as uneven silkworm growth, higher production cost and decay. The results were not satisfactory, but the author hopefully expects that the artificial diet rearing would be possible for maintaining normal silkworm growth throughout improvement of diet composition, rearing techniques and aseptics add to the diets. Especially the author considered that the aseptic rearing will contribute to the research of sericultural science. Within a few years, the artificial diet rearing would be applied to the practical silkworm rearing.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.665-672
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• 2017

The anti-diabetic effect of dried-silkworm Dongchunghacho water extracts was investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Seven-week-old SD rats were randomly assigned to six groups: normal control (NC) group, diabetic control (DC) group, water extracts of Paecilomyces japonica grown on a dried-silkworm (PJ-DS, 50 mg/kg) group, PJ-DS (250 mg/kg) group, water extracts of Cordyceps militaris grown on a dried-silkworm (CM-DS, 250 mg/kg) group, and water extracts of dried-silkworm (DS, 250 mg/kg) group. These groups were orally provided with sample dissolved in water respectively for four weeks after an injection of STZ (60 mg/kg, ip) followed by identification of diabetic control (DC) group. After four weeks, body weight of all diabetic groups was significantly lower than that of the normal control (NC) group, but among diabetic groups there were no significant differences. Blood glucose levels of the PJ-DS (50 mg/kg), PJ-DS (250 mg/kg), CM-DS (250 mg/kg) and DS (250 mg/kg) groups were reduced compared to the DC group by 3.0 percent, 18.5 percent, 6.9 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively. Concentration of total cholesterol and triglyceride in blood plasma were to some degree decreased in PJ-DS (250 mg/kg) and DS (250 mg/kg) groups compared to the DC group. According to these results dried-silkworm Dongchunghacho water extracts (PJ-DS) boost protection against STZ-induced toxicity.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.7-10
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• 2014

This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of silkworm hemolymph against ${\gamma}-irradiation$ induced damage in the liver of mice. Female Balb/C mice (6 weeks old) were exposed to ${\gamma}-irradiation$ (6 Gy) and administered orally to silkworm hemolymph ($5ml\;kg^{-1}$ BW) for 7 days post-irradiation. The body weight, spleen index, plasma aspartate transaminase (AST), plasma alanine transaminase (ALT), and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined. Compared with irradiated control mice, the activity of plasma AST and the level of MDA were significantly decreased in mice treated silkworm hemolymph. These results show that silkworm hemolymph is found to have a protective effect against ${\gamma}-irradiation$ induced damage in mice.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the effect of silkworm, and its by-products on exercise endurance, muscle mass, and fatigue recovery using ICR mice model. Powders of silkworm, pupae, dongchunghacho, and silk powder were suspended in water and feed to mice for 2 weeks. The forced swimming time was increased by 4.3, 4.1 and 2.8 seconds after silkworm, pupae, and dongchughacho administration compared to DW fed group. Increases in exercise ability were achieved by difference mechanism according to feeding materials. Pupae increased muscle mass by 129% compared with the control group which may effect on elongation of swimming time. Dongchunghacho improved the plasma concentrations of fatigue markers such as creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and D-lactate. Silkworm administration showed dual effect, the muscle mass induction (114% vs. control) and anti-fatigue (plasma creatinine, BUN, and D-lactate were 63, 75, and 78% vs. con) effect which contributed most elongated swimming time. In conclusion, silkworm and its by-products including pupae and dongchunghacho with the predominant protein and bioactive components improved muscle mass and showed anti-fatigue effect which could promote exercise performance ability.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.217-219
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• 2004

Stimulation of fecundity following female antennal amputation has been reported for the first time in silkworm. Antennal amputation caused significant increase in fecundity in two newly evolved multivoltine silkworm breeds viz., BL 67 and 96A. This study indicated better chances for increasing egg yield and the increase in fecundity may be attributed to the action of some neurohormones. Significance of antennal amputation in silkworm has been discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2002

Present communication deals with quantitative determination of total lipid, triglycerides, total free fatty acids, phospholipids and total cholesterol in the fat body tissue of the silkworm adapted to low and high temperatures. At the end of spinning process is characterized by a marked cellular reorganization of the different lipid fraction of the fat body irrespective of thermal acclimation. Accordingly, the per cent composition of triglycerides of the total lipid is increased accompanied by a corresponding decrease in free fatty acids, phospholipids and cholesterol.