Mature silkworm powder reduces blood alcohol concentration and liver injury in ethanol-treated rats

Hangover due to alcohol consumption causes social and physical problems. There is a growing interest in edible insects worldwide. We have previously published a new technology to make hard mature silkworm, Bombyx mori, into edible form, steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworm larval powder (SMSP). In this study, AIN-76 or SMSP (0.1 and 1 g/kg rat body weight) containing diets in SD rats were pretreated for 2 weeks, and ethanol (3 g/kg rat body weight) was administered as an oral gavage and sacrificed after 3 hours. As a result, blood alcohol and aldehyde levels were significantly decreased in SMSP fed rats. In addition, liver injury markers, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly decreased in SMSP group compared to ethanol group. TNF-a, an inflammatory cytokine, and malondialdehyde (MDA), an oxidative stress marker, also showed a dose-dependent decrease in the group receiving SMSP. Conclusively, consumption of SMSP not only reduced hangover induced by ethanol, but also decreased liver damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response. ⓒ 2017 The Korean Society of Sericultural Sciences Int. J. Indust. Entomol. 35(2), 123-128 (2017)