IngredientsThe term silkmoth, as it appears in dietary supplement and traditional medicine contexts, does not refer to a single uniform material but to a cluster of closely related preparations all derived from the domesticated silkmoth, Bombyx mori Linnaeus (order Lepidoptera, family Bombycidae). Silkmoth, often referring to the dried body of the Bombyx mori (silkworm moth), has a long-standing history in traditional medicinal systems, particularly in East Asia. Depending on the developmental stage of the insect and the processing method used, the material carries different Latin binomials and different pharmacological identities.
The most pharmacologically distinguished form is Bombyx batryticatus (also written Bombyx Batryticatus), the official name for the medicinally processed larval form. This material is the dried larva of Bombyx mori L. (silkworm of 4–5 instars) infected by Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. A second species, Antheraea pernyi (the Chinese oak silkmoth), is also used in some traditional preparations where the moth itself — rather than the larva — is the primary ingredient.
Jiang Can (Bombyx batryticatus) is not a plant but an animal-derived medicinal substance. It is the dried body of the 4th to 5th instar larva of the domesticated silkworm moth (Bombyx mori Linnaeus, family Bombycidae) that has been infected by and died from the white muscardine fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. The silkworm feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves (Morus spp.) and is entirely domesticated, no longer surviving in the wild.
Originally, Jiang Can was collected as a natural byproduct of sericulture when silkworms spontaneously died from white muscardine disease. As demand grew and natural supply became insufficient, artificial inoculation techniques were developed.
The silk cocoon is generally composed of 75–83% fibroin, 17–25% sericin, and 1–5% non-sericin components, including secondary metabolites, wax, pigments, carbohydrates, and other impurities.
Silkmoth materials reach the market in several distinct forms:
(Bombyx batryticatus), a well-known traditional animal Chinese medicine, has been commonly used in China for thousands of years. Its use was first noted in the Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), though early descriptions were brief. It was recorded that B. batryticatus first appeared in Yu county, Henan province in the Qin and Han Dynasties. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Henan and Shandong were the main producing regions, recorded in Ben Cao Tu Jing and Zheng Lei Ben Cao. Later, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the main producing regions moved to the southern areas, such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
Over centuries, TCM scholars, including Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty's Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), detailed its properties, harvesting, and applications, noting its ability to "disperse wind, transform phlegm, and unblock channels." Later texts like Bencao Beiyao and Bencao Zhengyi expanded its clinical uses, making it a versatile remedy.
The TCM therapeutic framework categorised the stiffened silkworm under the following functional actions:
B. batryticatus, as a common animal medicine in traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese medicine systems, has been utilised to treat convulsions, epilepsy, cough, asthma, headaches, skin prurigo, scrofula, tonsillitis, urticaria, parotitis, and purpura.
The material is also widely used in Korea and Japan. Male silkworm extract is a combined natural herbal product believed in Korean tradition to enhance masculinity. It is produced in prescription-grade quality derived from the classical Korean medical canon Donguibogam, and has been used in young and old men with reduced physical function or strength, weak urinary function, or complaints of fatigue.
It is well established in Traditional Chinese Medicine that certain natural products, such as male silkworm moths, have different therapeutic effects on men than on women, and these natural products have been used as dietary supplements specifically formulated for men or for women. Silk moths, traditionally discarded post-mating, are now utilised in therapeutic formulations such as medicinal wines and natural oils.
Silkworm pupae are frequently used as food in Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, India, and especially China. In China, silkworm pupae are eaten as food and are also an important component of traditional Chinese medicines used to treat hypertension and fatty liver.
Many studies indicate B. batryticatus contains various compounds, including protein and peptides, fatty acids, flavonoids, nucleosides, steroids, coumarin, polysaccharide, and others.
Thirteen quality indicators have been identified and analysed, including four flavonoids (rutin, astragalin, quercetin, kaempferol), five nucleosides (hypoxanthine, guanosine, uracil, adenine, uridine), beauvericin, total ash, extractives, and total protein.
Key individual compounds include:
DNJ, a 5-amino-1,5-deoxy-D-glucopyranose, is the most abundant iminosugar in mulberry and has a chemical structure similar to that of glucose. As the most competitive inhibitor of intestinal α-glucosidases, this D-glucose analogue has been receiving a great deal of attention. Due to the low cytotoxicity, DNJ has been explored in the treatment of many metabolic diseases, such as hyperglycaemia, obesity, and diabetes.
The lepidopteran insect Bombyx mori contains DNJ, whose content was examined across different development stages and tissues using HPLC methods. Results showed that the DNJ content accumulated in male larvae was higher than that in female larvae; additionally, its content was relatively high in the blood, digestive fluid, and gastrointestinal tube, but was not detected in the silk gland.
The 50% ethanol extract of silkworm pupae was confirmed to contain 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), which is a potent α-glucosidase inhibitor.
In recent years the biological properties of the silk cocoon, especially its major proteins, namely fibroin and sericin, have drawn special attention. Scientific literature has investigated several pharmacological effects of the silk cocoon and its ingredients, including cardioprotective, antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidaemia, gastroprotective, as well as ameliorated skin health activities.
The physicochemical properties of sericin are responsible for numerous applications in biomedicine and are influenced by the extraction method and silkworm lineage, which can lead to variations in molecular weight and amino acid concentration. The presence of highly hydrophobic amino acids and its antioxidant potential make it possible for sericin to be applied in the food and cosmetic industry.
Sericin has exhibited a broad range of health-promoting activities, namely antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, coagulant, antityrosine, UV protection, as well as humidifying activities. The FDA has formerly introduced sericin and its derivatives as a "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) substance.
The percentages of total protein and lipid contents in silkworm pupae by dry weight are 55.6% and 32.2%, respectively. Silkworm pupae protein has high levels of essential amino acids such as valine, methionine, and phenylalanine. The contents of essential amino acids in silkworm pupae protein satisfy the FAO/WHO/UNU suggested requirements (2007). They also possess n-3 fatty acids, especially α-linolenic acid (36.3%), as a major component.
About 30% of their composition is lipids, providing a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including α-linolenic acid. They also offer health benefits including liver protection, immune support, and regulation of blood glucose and lipid levels.
Cocoons from yellow silkworms are a significant source of lutein, and this unexplored silk extract could be a viable alternative source for dietary lutein.
The sugars of silkworm pupae are rich in sorbitol and trehalose. Mulberry silkworm pupae also contain all kinds of vitamins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Minerals present include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and chromium. The white powder on the surface of the stiffened silkworm consists of ammonium oxalate.
The α-glucosidase inhibitor 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) is one of the simplest naturally occurring carbohydrate mimics, with promising biological activity in vivo. Although there is considerable interest in its pharmacological effects, the antidiabetic effects of DNJ in type 2 diabetes mellitus have historically received little attention.
In 1991 it was noted that DNJ, as an α-glucosidase inhibitor, had a promising effect on reducing postprandial blood glucose levels. By binding competitively to intestinal α-glucosidase enzymes, DNJ slows carbohydrate digestion in the small intestine, blunting the postprandial rise in blood glucose.
Skeletal muscle is the primary and largest site of glucose disposal in the insulin-stimulated state. Normally, insulin lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating glucose uptake into skeletal muscle. However, in an insulin-resistant state, insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in skeletal muscle is severely damaged, and the insulin-signalling pathway in muscle is disrupted, elevating blood glucose. Research with DNJ in animal models suggests additional insulin-sensitising mechanisms beyond gut-level inhibition.
The characteristic pharmacological activity of B. batryticatus is its effects on the nervous system, including anticonvulsant and antiepileptic effects, hypnotic effects, neurotrophic effects, and others.
Multiple constituents appear to contribute via distinct mechanisms:
Sericin has exhibited antioxidant activity among its broad range of health-promoting activities. Sericin benefits cell proliferation, tissue engineering, and skin tissue restoration thanks to its moisturising features, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and mitogenic effect on mammalian cells.
The silk lutein extract from yellow-cocoon silkworms has been studied for its effects on immune cell populations. Study data demonstrated that a package of the yellow silk cocoon extract containing naturally occurring lutein and fats was capable of efficiently enhancing both innate and adaptive immune functions.
Preclinical evidence (animal and in vitro models):
The results obtained by Yao et al. demonstrated that ethanol extracts of B. batryticatus possessed significantly antiepileptic effects on epileptic mice induced by maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and metrazol (MET) in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners.
A B. batryticatus powder suspension administered at 0.86 g/kg intragastrically significantly prolonged seizure latency from 1 to 8 hours (P < 0.05) with fluctuating efficacy in a pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) seizure model.
The different metabolites contributing to anticonvulsant effects mainly consisted of primary metabolites such as lipids and amino acids, and secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, beauvericin, and glycolipids. Day-5 and day-9 B. batryticatus specimens exhibited significant anticonvulsant effects.
Evidence strength: The anticonvulsant evidence is predominantly from rodent and in vitro models. Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. No large, controlled human clinical trials for anticonvulsant use have been identified in the available literature.
Preclinical evidence:
DNJ was isolated from the silkworm (Bombyx mori) and its antidiabetic effects were evaluated in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an established animal model of human type 2 diabetes mellitus. DNJ treatment showed significant antidiabetic effects, with significant improvements in fasting blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance, and especially increased insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, there was significant loss of body weight in both groups.
DNJ also showed significant antihyperglycaemic effects in streptozotocin- and high-fat-diet-induced hyperglycaemic rats. Its efficacy and dose profiles were better than those of acarbose, a typical α-glucosidase inhibitor in clinical use.
In db/db mice treated with DNJ intravenously at doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg/day for four weeks, DNJ significantly reduced body weight, blood glucose, and serum insulin levels. DNJ treatment also improved glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance.
Hepatic glycogen content in db/db mice was significantly lower than in normal control groups. After treatment with DNJ, hepatic glycogen content in db/db mice notably increased in a dose-dependent manner.
The traditional Chinese drug Bombyx batryticatus, also named the white stiff silkworm, has been widely used in Chinese clinics for thousands of years and is famous for its antispasmodic and blood circulation-promoting effects; a 1-DNJ extract from Bombyx batryticatus was studied for its effect on diabetic cardiomyopathy-associated fibrosis in db/db mice.
Mechanistic findings:
A substantial fraction of DNJ was absorbed into the bloodstream within a few minutes of oral administration. DNJ was also detected in the urine. These findings suggest that its postprandial hypoglycaemic effect in the gastrointestinal tract is a possible but insufficient mechanism of action underlying the antidiabetic effects of DNJ; its anti-obesity effect and improvement of insulin sensitivity are other possible antidiabetic effects.
Human/clinical evidence:
While preclinical and preliminary clinical studies show promise, larger, well-designed clinical trials are needed to establish definitive efficacy, optimal dosing, and long-term safety. The overall clinical evidence base for silkmoth-derived DNJ in humans is early-stage. The bioavailability of DNJ is moderate, which can restrict its therapeutic efficacy; therefore, the optimisation of its formulation for better absorption is essential.
Evidence strength: Predominantly animal (rodent) models. Mechanistic rationale is strong; clinical evidence in humans is limited and preliminary.
Animal study:
Female BALB/c mice orally received lutein, either as silk or marigold extracts at doses of 10 or 20 mg/kg daily, or vehicle only, for 4 weeks. Natural killer cell activity, specific antibody production, lymphocyte subpopulations, mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation, and cytokine production were examined. Silk lutein extract increased NK cell activity in a dose-related manner, whereas marigold lutein extract was ineffective.
Evidence strength: Single animal study. No human clinical data on silk-derived lutein for immune modulation are available in the reviewed sources.
Animal study:
In male rats, male silkworm extract was found to increase relevant hormone levels by 32.8%, compared to 9.9% in a group administered sildenafil. Nitric oxide (NO) content increased by 16.6% in the male silkworm extract group, compared to 5.4% in the sildenafil group. The sperm count increased by 41% in the male silkworm extract group, compared to 11.9% in the sildenafil group.
Silkworm larvae and pupae are currently registered as food sources, and 14 days after metamorphosis, the pupae can be substituted for the silkworm moth with the same efficacy.
Evidence strength: Animal (rat) model data only. This presumed sex-specific effect of certain natural products has not yet been confirmed experimentally with animal models or in human clinical trials at the level required by contemporary standards. No randomised controlled human trials for these outcomes were identified in the reviewed literature.
Drosophila study:
Using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a longevity model, researchers examined the effect of hu-bao (HB) and sheng-bao (SB), two marketed health products made from a mixture of natural ingredients including male silkworm moths. The results demonstrated that the effect of HB and SB are indeed specific for the male fly. The lifespan of the male was significantly increased when HB or SB was added to the culture medium. In contrast, neither HB nor SB had much effect on the female fly.
Evidence strength: Invertebrate model only. No mechanistic clarity about which constituent drives the effect, and no mammalian or human data are available.
Sericin is a natural protein produced by the silkworm Bombyx mori. Despite tremendous strides in modern medicine, there are few available drugs that effectively restore liver function, exert hepatoprotective effects, or promote the regeneration of hepatic cells. Natural extracts are gaining increasing attention as pharmacotherapeutic agents for the treatment of liver diseases. Study findings demonstrate the potent hepatoprotective effects of sericin via multiple pathways.
Evidence strength: Mostly preclinical. The hepatoprotective evidence is derived from in vitro and animal studies. Human data are lacking.
Sericin has also been reported to possess therapeutic properties against a variety of diseases, showing potential as antihyperlipidaemic and antihypertensive, among other activities.
Pupal extracts are rich in essential fatty acids, bioactive peptides, vitamins, and chitin derivatives, offering antioxidant, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, antihypertensive, and anticancer benefits.
Evidence strength: Preliminary; largely in vitro or animal data. No clinical trial data for antihypertensive or antilipidaemic endpoints were identified for silkmoth-derived products specifically.
Beauvericin has been shown to exert potent anticancer activities: it inhibits the proliferation of human breast cancer cells by modulating the oestrogen receptor-α (ERα)/p38 pathway, acting as a full ER antagonist. Additionally, it induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells via the PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby promoting tumour cell death. These findings underscore beauvericin's promising therapeutic potential in cancer treatment.
Evidence strength: In vitro data only. No clinical evidence.
Dosages vary substantially by preparation, life stage, and indication. The following are drawn directly from primary sources:
No established human clinical dosages for silkmoth-derived dietary supplements have been confirmed in peer-reviewed literature. Retail supplement dosages are not cited here in accordance with the sourcing policy applied to this article.
The toxicity of the silk cocoon and its constituents is within an acceptable range based on reviewed literature. Toxicity to Bombyx mori extracts was not observed in animal studies.
Allergic reactions following the ingestion of B. mori or derivative products are due to proteins that are widespread in arthropods. Furthermore, B. mori proteins can undergo possible cross-reactions with proteins of other insect species or crustaceans.
Allergic reactions are likely in sensitive individuals eating edible silkworm. This cross-reactivity with crustacean and other arthropod allergens (sometimes called "tropomyosin cross-reactivity") is a documented concern for individuals with existing shellfish or insect allergies.
Bacillus cereus and Enterobacteriaceae have been reported in edible silkworm. This is a food safety consideration relevant to unprocessed or improperly processed silkworm food products rather than to standardised pharmaceutical or supplement extracts, but is noted for completeness.
Arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) can accumulate in Bombyx mori. As with many insect-derived food and supplement products, the mineral content of the substrate (mulberry leaves and rearing environment) directly influences the elemental composition of the silkworm.
Beauvericin, as one of the core bioactive constituents of Bombyx batryticatus, possesses favourable pharmacokinetic properties and controllable safety. However, beauvericin is classified in fungal biochemistry literature as a mycotoxin with cytotoxic properties in certain in vitro models. At the concentrations present in B. batryticatus as a traditional medicine, it is considered the primary quality-control marker rather than a safety concern, though independent long-term human safety data are not available.
Given the well-characterised α-glucosidase inhibitory mechanism of DNJ — which shares the same pharmacological target as the prescription drug acarbose — DNJ showed significant antihyperglycaemic effects, and its efficacy and dose profiles were better than those of acarbose in animal models. Concurrent use with antidiabetic medications sharing the same mechanism (α-glucosidase inhibitors) or with insulin or sulfonylureas could theoretically potentiate hypoglycaemic effects. This interaction has not been formally evaluated in human clinical trials as reported in the reviewed sources.
To determine the safety of DNJ, the absorption and excretion of microorganism DNJ were evaluated using a 15N labelling method. Findings showed that the recovery rate of 15N from DNJ reached 80% within 48 hours after oral administration, suggesting its rapid excretion and supporting the safety of DNJ.
B. batryticatus can possibly cause poisoning. The traditional pharmacopoeial literature notes this risk, though the specific toxic constituents and threshold doses in humans have not been rigorously characterised in the available modern clinical literature.
The overall scientific evidence base for silkmoth-derived preparations is uneven. The antidiabetic effects of DNJ — particularly via α-glucosidase inhibition — are supported by a substantial body of coherent mechanistic and animal model data, making this the most pharmacologically credible area of investigation. Anticonvulsant evidence for Bombyx batryticatus is well-characterised in rodent and in vitro models, with identified active compounds (beauvericin, bassianolide, ammonium oxalate), and aligns closely with the material's longest-established traditional indication. Immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antihypertensive, and anticancer findings are preliminary — predominantly in vitro or single animal studies — and cannot be extrapolated to clinical recommendations.
For virtually all health outcomes, larger, well-designed clinical trials are needed to establish definitive efficacy, optimal dosing, and long-term safety. Together, findings underscore the immense potential of B. mori as a valuable resource for functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals, encouraging further research and sustainable utilisation in human health applications.
Health conditions that Silkmoth may help support.
Body systems that Silkmoth may help support.
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