Bombyx Batryticatus is a precious traditional Chinese animal drug commonly used in clinical practice in China, which has the effects of extinguishing wind, stopping convulsions, dispelling wind, relieving pain, resolving phlegm, and dissipating mass. The processing of Bombyx Batryticatus has a long history. As early as in the Liu Song period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, there was a record of the processing of Bombyx Batryticatus with rice swill. In addition to the processing with bran, honey bran, and ginger juice, which are still used today, there are also processing methods such as rendering, flour processing, wine processing, salt processing, oil processing, charcoal, and red dates processing in ancient times. After processing, the fishy smell of Bombyx Batryticatus can be removed, and avoid nausea and vomiting caused by the direct taking. Furthermore, processing can also facilitate the removal of surface hairs and toxicity reduction, making the medicinal material crispy and easy to crush. Previous studies have shown that the main chemical constituents of Bombyx Batryticatus include protein polypeptides, sterols, and flavonoids, with anticonvulsant, anticoagulation, antithrombotic, anti-cancer, hypnotic, hypoglycemic, and other pharmacological effects. This paper reviewed the processing historical evolution, chemical constituents, and pharmacological effects of Bombyx Batryticatus to lay a foundation for the research on the processing mechanism, quality control, and active core substances of Bombyx Batryticatus.
Animals ; Bombyx ; China ; Evolution, Chemical ; Flavonoids ; Fruit

Formaldehyde is a compound which is believed to have had a role in evolutionary processes. On the other hand, the (methyl)glyoxalase pathway is a route being present in all biological organisms whereas its function has not yet been recognized in the biochemical machinery. In this article it is raised that (methyl)glyoxalase path might have functioned as a bridge between formose and archaic reductive citric acid cycles in surface metabolists at the early stage of evolution. According to the theory, formaldehyde was essential for the mentioned system as a raw molecule. Based on thermodynamic calculations a simple way of regulation is also shown. The simplicity of the theory may be in a good agreement with and an explanation of why the (methyl)glyoxalase system is of ubiquitous nature.
Citric Acid Cycle ; Evolution, Chemical* ; Formaldehyde/metabolism* ; Lactoylglutathione Lyase/metabolism* ; Thermodynamics

As a traditional animal drug, Hirudo is slightly toxic and has the effects of breaking blood stasis, dredging meridians, expelling stasis, and resolving mass. It has a long history of processing, and the early boiling records can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. More than ten processing methods such as frying, roasting, and lime processing appeared later. After processing, Hirudo is deodorized and modified in taste and becomes crispy, which is conducive to crushing and clinical application. At present, the reported components in Hirudo mainly include protein polypeptides, pteridines, and lipids, which have anti-coagulant, anti-thrombotic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-tumor, and other pharmacological effects. This study reviewed the processing history evolution, chemical consti-tuents, and pharmacological effects of Hirudo to provide a reference for the related research on Hirudo.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Evolution, Chemical ; Leeches ; Thrombosis ; Restraint, Physical