Immunomodulatory effects of supercritical fluid CO2 extracts from freeze-dried powder of Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm)

• Main Authors: QingFeng TANG, Yin DAI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos 2016-01-01
• Series: Food Science and Technology
• Subjects: food supplement; immunological function; immunoregulation; insect utilization; supercritical CO2 fluid extraction
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-20612016005009101&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract In order to take full advantage of Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm) resources, the supercritical CO2 fluid freeze-dried powder of T. molitor larvae (fdTML) extraction on the immune systems of mice was carried out. The results about the effects of supercritical CO2 fluid fdTML extraction on carbon expurgation and phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages experiments of mice indicated that the fdTML extraction enhanced observably carbon expurgatory index, phagocytic rate and phagocytic index. The fdTML extraction could stimulate response of delayed hypersensitivity. The proliferation of ConA-induced mitogenic reponse for spleen lymphocyte was also increased. The amount of hemolytic antibody in mice serum increased compared with those of the control group mice. The half of hemolysis values in serum of treated mice increased compared to the control group. Furthermore, serum NO content in all treatment groups was higher than that of the control group whereas acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activity was only significantly higher relative to the control group. Our findings suggest that supercritical CO2 fluid the fdTML extraction has potential as a health food supplement.