Silkworm: A unique creature for natural products

Abstract

Insects are an exemplary source of natural products. However, still they are considered a marginalized source of natural products, although their number is sizable, and have great pharmacological potential of natural products when compared to another group of animals. Among beneficial insects, silkworms and their by-products have emerged as the most valuable creatures due to their incredible medicinal properties and other usages. Apart from production of silk, silkworms are being utilized in several ways, such as a source of nutrients for human consumption, as cattle feed, as an antipollutant, used in the manufacturing of vaccines, and as a bioreactors for the production of recombinant proteins. Further, silkworm pupae, pupal powder, and pupal oil have shown spectacular biological activities such as neuroprotective, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial. This chapter summarizes the usages of silkworms and their by-products with their chemical constituents, proven biological activities, biomedical and pharmaceutical application of silkworm, and their by-products.