In a study from UC Davis, a gut bacterial metabolite has been used to reverse liver and gut cellular injury. The chemical is 10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid (10-HSA), and is typically produced by Lactobacillus species. 10-HAS is a PPARα agonist, and stimulates collagen synthesis. The research team administered 10-HSA orally to mice who suffered from liver and…
Read MoreResearchers in South Korea have identified and characterized an anti-bacterial peptide (small protein) in leech saliva. Using current technological tools and computing, S. Dinesh Kumar and colleagues at the Korea Basic Science Institute described their search, discovery, and characterization of these antibacterial molecules called Hirunipins in the journal “Advance Science”. Not only did they document…
Read MoreCome take a look at San Juan Capistrano’s Shea Center providing horse therapy. Founded in 1978, the center is home to 28 specially trained horses and ponies that are in specialized programs. The center provides services such as adaptive riding, mental health care, team building, speech therapies, and physical occupational therapy. The horses at the…
Read MoreIn maggot therapy news, Fitzgerald, a rhinoceros at the Montgomery Zoo in Alabama, has been treated with maggot therapy for a horn infection. The rhino had a bacterial infection of his horn that was becoming resistant to most treatments. Due to a rhino’s sensitive digestive tract and intolerance to many antibiotics, the zoo veterinarians chose…
Read MoreBig news for hippotherapy: as part of Illinois Senate Bill 69, insurance plans will be required to cover hippotherapy. Senate Bill 69 has passed both chambers of the legislature and is pending Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature. If signed into law, the bill will make it possible for more people to take advantage of hippotherapy as…
Read MoreSave the date! The Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course and Conference (CMACC) will be held November 14-16, 2025, at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas Nevada. Join professionals, researchers, and enthusiasts in apitherapy to explore the therapeutic benefits of bee products. The conference will include presentations on the latest research and trends in apitherapy,…
Read MoreLooking for a fun way to introduce maggot therapy? Check out Pete’s Road To Recovery, a new book by Dr. Ronald A Sherman. This rhyming children’s book tells the whimsical story of a boy named Pete, with wounds on his feet, who overcomes his fears of doctors and medicinal maggots. This book is perfect for…
Read MoreIn a study published in the journal Science Immunology, Helmholtz Munich researcher Prof. Julia Esser-von Bieren and her team describe their findings concerning how worm (helminth) parasites evade host immune defenses. The helminths use a protein called helminth glutamate dehydrogenase (heGDH). When heGDH is internalized by the host’s macrophages (a type of immune white blood…
Read MoreIn a post titled “Medical maggots, cancer-fighting wasps and healing honey: The weird ways insects help our health” CNN writer Josh Korber Hoffman explores some of the medical benefits of insects. The article mentions how medicinal maggots have been used for wound healing for centuries and that recent studies show that the larvae can help…
Read MoreUpcoming training! – A Maggot debridement therapy workshop will be held on May 15th – 16th, 2025 at the KARLO Biotechnology Research Institute in Kenya, Nigeria. The theme of the workshop will be about improving wound healing through innovation, technology, and collaboration. To learn more about the event, email: [email protected]. To register, go to: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0eouqA06O6exsWyBUIKBH-Y8w2FoQysU2srLKPGrnz_1P6Q/viewform
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