The efficacy and function of the original silkworm moth

For many Chinese people, traditional Chinese medicine is very trustworthy because it has a long history and few side effects. The silkworm moth is a common Chinese medicinal material, which has many benefits for human health. So how can we eat the silkworm moth? Let’s find out below.

[Alias] Late silkworm moth (Bencao Gangmu).

[Source] It is the whole male insect of the silk moth, an insect of the family Bombyx mori . In summer, take male silkworm moths, scald them to death with boiling water, and dry them in the sun.

[Original form] Both male and female moths are covered with dense white scales. Body length is 1.6 to 2.3 cm. Wingspan: 3.9 to 4.3 cm. The head is small. There is a pair of compound eyes, which are black and semicircular. The mouthparts are degenerate and the lower lip has small whiskers. There is a pair of antennae, which are feathery, thick at the base and gradually tapering at the end. The antennae of the female moth are gray and shorter; those of the male are black and longer than those of the female. The prothorax and mesothorax are aligned, and there are two pairs of wings, both covered with white scales; the forewings are located on the mesothorax, are triangular in shape, are relatively large, and have three light-dark horizontal stripes; the hindwings are located on the metathorax, are smaller, slightly rounded, and have two darker parallel lines. 3 pairs of feet. The tarsus has 5 segments, with a pair of dark brown claws and cottony hairs. The female moth has a plump abdomen with a blunt end; the male has a narrow abdomen with a slightly pointed end. The larvae are silkworms. Cylindrical, grayish white with dark markings, sparsely covered with short yellowish brown hair all over, and consisting of 13 segments except the head. The head is small and hard, with simple eyes, antennae, lips, jaws and silk-spinning tubes. The first three segments are the thorax, and the last ten segments are the abdomen; the anterior thoracic segment is very small, with oval spiracles on both sides, while the middle and posterior thoracic segments are enlarged and have wrinkles on the surface; there are three pairs of thoracic legs, four pairs of abdominal legs, and one pair of caudal legs. There is a tail horn in the center of the dorsal side of the 8th abdominal segment. There are silk glands in the body that can secrete silk and spin silk to make cocoons.

【Habitat distribution】 Widely distributed. It is raised in most parts of my country.

[Chemical composition] Silkworm moth contains protein and free amino acids, the latter of which includes about 20 kinds, but does not contain α-aminoisobutyric acid, proline and cystine. Also, only female moths contain ornithine. It also contains fatty oil. It has been reported that the fatty oil of male moths is very similar to silkworm pupa oil in nature. Three fluorescent substances have been isolated from moth wings, the main one of which is cyan fluorescent substance, which is a pterin, named cyan, and is said to be the same substance as cyan in fish tissues. Moths also contain cytochrome C, which is the same as the cytochrome C in vertebrates, yeast, etc. 70 mg of cytochrome C crystals can be separated from one kilogram of newly hatched silk moths. Silkworm moths (and silkworm pupae) contain the metamorphic hormones α-ecdysis and β-ecdysis, of which α-ecdysis is the main one.

[Processing] "Yao Dui": "Fry it for medicinal use, remove the wings and feet."

【Nature and flavor】Salty, warm.

[entry into meridians] Enters the liver and kidney meridians.

【Functions and indications】Nourishes the liver and kidneys, strengthens yang and astringes semen. Treat impotence, spermatorrhea, leucorrhea, hematuria, trauma, ulcers and burns.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral administration: in the form of pills or powder. For external use: grind into powder and sprinkle or mash and apply on skin.

【Note】 "Compendium of Materia Medica" says: "People with yin deficiency and fire should avoid this."

[Additional prescription] ① For the treatment of impotence: one liter of original silkworm moth (unattached), dry in the shade, remove the head, feet and feathers. Grind it into powder and make into pills the size of walnut seeds with white honey. Take one pill before going to bed at night. (Qianjin Fang)

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

【Source】 From "Ming Yi Bie Lu"

Through the introduction in this article, we can learn some relevant knowledge about the silkworm moth. Whether from the perspective of food health or traditional Chinese medicine, the role of silkworm moth cannot be underestimated.