Analysis of nutrients in Apriona germari and treatment of diarrhea in mice fed with insect powder

The insect larvae of Apriona germari, Apriona swainsoni and other closely related species are related to the insects that bore through the stems of the Caesalpinia decapetala. Because of therich nutritional as well as medicinal value of edible A. germari, it is often used to nourish the body, enhance immunity, and to treat ailments such as diarrhea. The soluble protein content of A. germari was determined using Kjeldahl and Soxhlet extraction methods. The crude fat content and the content of various fatty acids was determined by the normalization method, normalization method refers to that after the fat in the sample is extracted by hydrolysis ether solution, it is saponified and methylated under alkaline conditions to generate fatty acids and methyl esters, which are analyzed by capillary column gas chromatography and quantitatively measured by area normalization method. Amino acid content determined using an amino acid analyzer after acid hydrolysis showed 17 kinds of amino acids. A diarrhea mouse model was established by injecting a suspension of Escherichia coli into the abdominal cavity of mice. The mice were then fed with A. germari fodders at dose concentrations of 12%, 8%, 4% and 0%. The number of E. coli was determined from the intestinal tracts of mice; the activities of antioxidant enzymes and digestive enzymes in the serum were determined. Eleven kinds of fatty acids were detected in A. germari; unsaturated fatty acids accounted for 71.87% of the total fatty acids. A. germari is an edible resource insect with high nutritional value. Mice fed with A. germari showed an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and digestive enzymes in the serum, which helped in the effective inhibition and reduction in the total number of intestinal bacteria and E. coli. The results indicate that A. germari has high nutritional value; A. germari also has a certain therapeutic effect on diarrhea caused by E. coli in mice.