Utilization and Isolation of new active substances from Sericulture Related MaterialsII. Development of an oral antihyperglycemic agent from silkworm powder

Since 1992, Sericulture & Entomology Research Institute(NSERI) and Kyung Hee University group screened an activity of lowering blood-glucose levels with silkworm related materials such as silkworm larvae powder, dried feces, pupae and silkworm moth in other to guide laymans to rational and educated utilization of silkworm-related materials for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. In experiments examining several silkworms in different stages and prepared in different conditions, a freeze dried silkworm powder of 5th instar 3rd day showed a higher glucose lowering activity about 20% than heat dried matured silkworm powder. Among the three dosage of 500mg, 830mg and 1,160mg in ate preliminary clinical trial, the 830mg exhibited a significant effect on postprandial blood glucose level and did and did not cause any hypoglycemic side effect. In the blood glucose lowering activity of mulberry and silkworm varieties, the Yongcheonppong and Samkwangjam showed the highest activity for lowering blood glucose levels. 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. We find out the fact that effect of silkworm powder attributed to the inhibition of ${\alpha}$-glucohydrolase catalyzed reaction in the small intestine.