Insects Used For Medical Purposes

Medical research has come on leaps and bounds in the last decade, so it’s no surprise that scientists have turned to looking at insects for use in medicine.

Cancer Research And Insects

• Wasps – Wasps are a pest but are also powerful and very effective against predators. The venom in their sting has an extra amazing property though: it’s been proven to kill cancerous cells. When the venom was tested, it was found that only the cancer cells were killed, not the healthy cells around it.
• Blister Beetles – Beetles have been used for centuries in the study of medicine. They have a substance in their bodies which can help alleviate pain. And now, further studies have shown that this secretion can attack cancerous cells too. So in the future, they hope to use blister beetles to battle tumours and in chemotherapy treatments.

Pain Management And Insects

• Bees – A lot of holistic and natural remedies involve using bees. Much like wasp venom, bee venom used in a processed way can help people who are in pain. It’s particularly been known to help with arthritis.
• Silkworms – The bacteria in a silkworms digestive system is an amazing pain relief for people with back injuries and back pain.
• Grasshoppers – A grasshoppers nervous system is a lot like ours, so they have been used a lot for study purposes in labs. The toxins a grasshopper produces may even offer pain relief, especially for things like migraines.
• Other uses for insects include skin healing and crime fighting. A true old fashioned skin healer is a maggot. In the past a doctor was likely to pour maggots on you if you had a skin infection. Maggots eat dead skin, and leave healthy skin alone. This method went out of favour when penicillin and antibiotics were developed.

At the scene of a crime, detectives and scientists will often study blow flies to determine the time of death. Their life cycle is so easy and predictable to follow that a scientist can easily determine the time of death by them.

Although many of these treatments are still considered alternative, many are in the study stage and may be bought into mainstream treatments sooner than you think.

However, these insects encountered in your home are still pests. If you have a pest issue, please call us here at Empire Pest Control today.