• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.25-33
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• 2023

The liver, a multifunctional organ, plays a vital role in maintaining overall health and well-being by regulating metabolism, detoxification, nutrient storage, hormone balance, and immune function. Liver diseases, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, and liver cancer, have significant clinical implications and remain a global health concern. This article reviews the therapeutic potential of silkworm larvae (Bombyx mori) and explores their underlying molecular mechanisms in protecting against liver diseases. Silkworm larvae are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and n-3 fatty acids, making them a promising candidate for therapeutic applications. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of silkworm larvae involve modulating the production of cytokine such as TNF-α and interleukins, inflammatory enzymes including cyclooxygenase-2 and macrophage polarization, thereby attenuating liver inflammation. Silkworm larvae also exhibit anti-oxidative effects by scavenging free radicals, reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species and enhancing the liver's antioxidant defense system. Moreover, silkworms have been reported to decrease the serum alcohol concentration and lipid accumulation. Understanding the therapeutic properties of silkworm larvae contributes to the development of innovative strategies for liver injury prevention and treatment. Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise signaling pathways involved in the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects of silkworm larvae, paving the way for potential therapeutic interventions in liver diseases.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.9-16
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• 1987

This study was designed to determine the amino acid composition and to investigate microstructure by scanning electron micrographs of silkworm larvae protein and modified silkworm larvae protein concentrate. The results were as follows: 1, The protein contents of soybean and silkworm larvae protein concentrate were 70.3% and 84.1%, respectively. 2. In general, the essential amino acid content of silkworm larvae protein concentrate were higher than soybean protein concentrate as well as FAO provisional scoring pattern. Silkworm larvae protein concentrate was especially high in lysine and methionine indicating that it could be a good supplemental source for cereals and beans. Succinylation and acetylation resulted in no difference in most amino acid content. 3. The scanning electron microscopic observations revealed that silkworm larvae protein concentrate had smooth surface topography while defatted silkworm larvae flour showed different shapes and sizes with relatively rough surfaces. Acylated silkworm larvae protein concentrate exhibited less cellularity and denser than protein concentrate. However, succinylated silkworm larvae protein concentrate showed especially good texture indicating that it could increase the functional properties of silkworm larvae protein concentrate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.368-373
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• 1983

This study was designed to determine amino acid composition of silkworm larvae protein and to evaluate its nutritional value by rat experiment. Diets were divided into 5 groups; casein ($D_1$), soybean protein ($D_2$), soybean protein+20% silkworm larvae ($D_3$), soybean protein+40% silkworm larvae protein ($D_4$), and silkworm larvae protein ($D_5$). The growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, weight of organs, hematology, and the content of total serum protein and albumin were studied. The amino acid composition of silkworm larvae protein was comparable to the FAO provisional scoring pattern. The protein was especially high in the amount of lysine and methionine indicating that it could be a good supplemental effect for cereals and beans. Growth rate and protein efficiency ratio of silkworm larvae protein were better than soybean protein and these were increased by the addition of silkworm larvae protein. The weight of liver and spleen from silkworm larvae protein group were also higher than soybean protein group and RBC, WBC, Hct and Hb content of 5 groups tested were within the normal ranges. The contents of total serum protein and albumin from soybean protein group were increased by addition of silkworm larvae protein. From the results obtained, it could be stated that the quality of soybean protein might be improved by silkworm larvae protein.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.204-209
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• 1986

The functional properties of defatted silkworm larvae flour and protein concentrate have been compared with those of soybean. The protein contents of soybean and silkworm larvae protein concentrate were 70.3% and 84.1%, respectively. The solubility of silkworm larvae protein concentrate was lower than that of soybean protein at various pH tested. However, silkworm larvae protein concentrate showed better fat absorption, poorer water absorption and overall higher bulk density than soybean protein. The silkworm larvae protein concentrate showed higher emulsifying capacity and stability, but showed lower foaming capacity and stability than soybean protein. Silkworm larvae protein concentrate showed highest viscosity among various protein products at all concentrations and reached the highest viscosity at 5${\sim}$7% protein concentration. Therefore, high emulsification properties of silkworm larvae protein concentrate will be a good protein source when it is added to emulsified food.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 1997

Bombyx mori, silkworm powder has been studied for blood-glucose lowering activity by National Sericulture & Entomology Research Institute(NSERI) and Kyung Hee University group in 1995. To obtain the optimum preparative condition of silkworm powder for lowering blood-glucose levels in postprandial time, blood-glucose lowering activity of mulberry & silkworm varieties were examined. In mulberry varieties, Samkwangjam showed the highest activity. Activity for lowering blood-glucose levels of autumn rearing silkworm was higher than that of spring silkworm and hybrid silkworm showed higher activity than that of parent silkworm. In the silkworm lines, Chinese lines showed higher activity than that of Japanese lines. In experiments to see the difference in blood-glucose lowering activity between either male and female or larvae and pupae, activity of larvae was higher than that of pupae and the male was higher than female. The heating dry and artificial diet showed lower than mulberry diet and normal freeze dry of the 5th instar 3rd day. Among the sericultural products, larvae showed the highest activity.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2007

The response of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. to phytoecdysteroid (PE) when administered at different ages of $5^{th}$ instar was studied in the popular bivoltine ($CSR2{\times}CSR4$) and multi${\times}$bivoltine ($PM{\times}CSR2$) silkworm hybrids, reared on the Victory-1 variety of mulberry leaves. PE was administered to $5^{th}$ instar silkworm per os at a rate of $250{\mu}g$ per 100 larvae to different batches of silkworm at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 hrs and at the onset of cocoon spinning when a few larvae were ripe. The larval and mounting duration, cocoon yield and cocoon characters were influenced by PE. The intensity of influence was dependent on the time of application. The larvae treated at the beginning of the instar, improved the economic traits significantly with a marginal increase in larval duration. In the larvae treated at the middle of the instar, larval duration was shortened remarkably but the economic traits were adversely affected. This particular treatment can become a good management strategy in the case of mulberry leaf shortage or disease incidence. In the larvae treated at the onset of cocoon spinning, the mounting duration was substantially reduced without much effect on the cocoon traits which would be a big benefit in commercial sericulture. The physiological significance of varied response of silkworm to PE administration is discussed.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 1977

In the previous short communication, the authors reported the applicability of Sodium Hyplochoride solution to silkworm rearing industry as a disinfectant after confirmed the fact that the chemical agent is capable to kill most of the pathogens of silkworm diseases. The authors, in the present study, attempted to investigate the influence of the chemical on the growth of silkworm larvae and the effect on the disinfection of silkworm larvae to inactivate the pathogen of yellow muscardine disease, Isaria farinosa and the results obtained are summarized as fellows. 1. The chemical agent did not affect the growth of silkworm larvae, when it was applied on silk-worm body with the concentration of 1,3,5 per cent of the agent during the rearing period. 2. The Sodium Hypochloride solution did not give any damage to silkworm larvae when larvae were fed up with 1,3,5 per cent of the solution. 3. In the bioassay of the solution on disinfection of larvae inoculated with yellow muscardine disease pathogen, the fact that the agent could control the disease was observed by showing much low infection rate in 3.5 per cent treatment compared to non-treatment control.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.107-110
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• 2001

Variations in protein and nucleic acid concentrations were observed in 24 hrs old eggs and hatched larvae of Nistari strain, Bombyx mori, exposed to starvation. Three starvation treatments of 24,48 and 60 hrs were given separately from 0 hr old fifth instar larvae. Biochemical variations were studied in the resultant hatched larvae of one time starved parent, while the eggs obtained from parents receiving starvation in two successive generations were considered for the study. In hatched larvae, protein levers in 24 hrs starvation groups remained significantly higher over control (never starved) while the same was found to be lower in 48 and 60 hrs starvation individuals. The RNA concentration remained significantly higher in all the treated lots. However, DNA content was not found to be significantly altered in hatched larvae after exposure to feeding stress. Protein, RNA and DNA concentration of 24 hrs old eggs produced by all the starved groups of Nistari, which had deceived two consecutive starvation during parental generations, showed higher concentrations of these biomolecules over control. Hence, starvation induced alterations in protein and nucleic acids in eggs and hatched Iarvae are indicative of a preparatory phase adopted by the insect to acclimatise itself and its progeny to stress situations.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 1998

The baculovirus egt gene encodes an ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase(EGT) which catalyzes the transfer of glucose from UDP-glucose to the insect moltion hormone ecdysteroid resulting in a functionally inactive ecdysteroid. In baculovirus-infected insect larvae, EGT has been shown block molting and pupation. In this study, we compared the development of 4th and 5th instar silkworm, Bombyx mori, larvae injected with either wild-type bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) or a mutant BmNPV(BmEGTZ) in which the egt gene was disrupted by the insertion of a lacZ gene cassette. Larvae injected with BmEGTZ died roughly 12 h more rapidly compared to indentical larvae infected with BmNPV. In addition, BmEGTZ- infected larvae prematurely stopped feeding and gain less weight compared to BmNPV-infected larvae. In order to investigate why BmEGTZ-infected larvae died more rapidly than BmNPV-infected larvae, the array of hemolymph proteins in BmEGTZ-or BmNPV-infected larvae were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The hemolymph of BmEGTZ-infected larvae showed virus-specific proteins, including polyhedrin, about 12 h earlier than the hemolymph of BmNPV-infected larvae

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.32-38
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• 1982

The study has been carried out to investigate a possibility to control the pine needle gall midge, Thecodiplosis japonensis Uchida et Inoue, by microbial pathogens as one of the microbial control measures. The samples were collected at Kocheon-Ri in the suburbs of Suweon city where were heavily damaged by this pest. Microorganisms were isolated from the both of diseased larvae and baiting method of soil microbes. In addition to, several species of the silkworm mucardine diseases were isolated for their infectivity of these fungi to the larvae of pine needle gall midge. Six species of fungi, Aureobasidium pullulans, Ascochyta sp, Verticillium psalliotae, Streptomyces sp., and two species of Aspergillus were isolated from the galls and soils, five species of muscardine diseases, Isaria farinosa, Spicaria pracina, Oospora destructor, Aspergillus flavus and A. oryzae were also identified from the silkworm corpse collected in the silkworm rearing farmers. Total of eleven species of fungi identified from the both of the larval of pine needle gall midge and silkworm larvae were tested for their pathogenecity to the larvae of pine needle gall midge. All of eleven species of fungi identified showed a considerable infectivity to the larvae. Twenty nine different kinds of bacteria were isolated from the both of diseased larvae and infested soils through the direct planting for the larvae and streaking for the corpse. The infectivity test is in progress. However two kinds of bacteria were recognized to be pathogenic to the larvae tested.