Insect natural products and processes: New treatments for human disease

In this overview, some of the more significant recent developments in bioengineering natural products from insects with use or potential use in modern medicine are described, as well as in utilisation of insects as models for studying essential mammalian processes such as immune responses to pathogens. To date, insects have been relatively neglected as sources of modern drugs although they have provided valuable natural products, including honey and silk, for at least 4–7000 years, and have featured in folklore medicine for thousands of years. Particular examples of Insect Folk Medicines will briefly be described which have subsequently led through the application of molecular and bioengineering techniques to the development of bioactive compounds with great potential as pharmaceuticals in modern medicine. Insect products reviewed have been derived from honey, venom, silk, cantharidin, whole insect extracts, maggots, and blood-sucking arthropods. Drug activities detected include powerful antimicrobials against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and HIV, as well as anti-cancer, anti-angiogenesis and anti-coagulant factors and wound healing agents. Finally, the many problems in developing these insect products as human therapeutic drugs are considered and the possible solutions emerging to these problems are described.

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► Bioengineering insect natural products as medicinal drugs is rapidly advancing.
► Focus is on honey, venom, silk, secretions, body extracts, maggots and blood-feeders.
► Microbe, cancer, angiogenesis, and coagulation inhibitors, and healing agents occur.
► Problems developing insect products as human therapeutic drugs are considered.
► Modern technology is advancing the use of insect natural products as novel drugs.