홍잠은 숙잠(熟蠶)을 수증기로 익혀서 인간이 섭취할 수 있도록 제조한 다양한 건강 증진 효과가 있는 천연 건강 식품이다. 현재 표준 제조 방법은 수증기로 찐 홍잠을 보관과 판매의 편의를 위하여 급속 냉동하여 동결 건조를 진행하는 것이다. 그런데, 홍잠을 동결 건조하는 과정은 많 은 시간과 비용을 필요로 하여 홍잠 제품 가격의 인상 요인으로 작용하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 홍잠을 수증기로 찐 후 바로 균질 액으로 제조하여 분무 건조하면 분말 제조 비용을 절감할 수 있음을 발견하였다. 그리고 홍잠 균질 액에 식용 단백질 분해 효소를 첨가하여 분해시킨 후, 단 1회의 분무 건조로 제품을 제조할 수 있는 방법을 개발하였다. 특히 홍잠 균질 액이나 효소 분해 홍잠 균질 액은 바로 액상이나 젤리 형태로 일반 또는 환 자용 특수 의료 용도 식품에 활용이 가능함을 보여주었다. 본 연구에서는 생산비용이 감소된 홍잠의 가공 방법을 제안하며 이는 제품 생성의 단가 를 낮추어 제품의 대중화와 양잠 농가의 연관산업 육성을 불러올 것으로 기대된다.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of a powder of steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworms (SMSP), Bombyx mori, on hair growth/loss in vivo in C3H mice. Topically applied SMSP for at least 10 days or longer showed potent hair growth promoting activity. SMSP-treated mice showed increase in hair weight significantly compared with control mice which were not treated with SMSP. Orally administered SMSP also showed hair growth promoting activity, which was lower than that when applied topically. In conclusion, SMSP was identified as a potential candidate for a novel hair-loss preventing and/or hair-growth promoting agent, which shortened the telogen phase to advance the following anagen phase in C3H mice in vivo when SMSP was applied topically for at least 10 days or longer.

The mature silkworms of Bombyx mori L. have recently been regarded as a potential health supplement due to gaining their edibility for humans via a newly-developed steaming method by the Rural Development Administration in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of a larval powder of steamed mature silkworms (SMSP) on hair growth/loss in vivo in mice. Topically applied SMSP showed potent hair growth promoting activity. SMSP-treated mice showed increase in hair weight significantly compared with control mice which were not treated with SMSP. Orally administered SMSP also showed hair growth promoting activity, which was lower than that when applied topically. By elucidating the hair loss preventing activity of SMSP, this study will be helpful to increase incomes for sericultural farm households in Korea.

Silkworms, Bombyx mori L., have been traditionally used as an oriental medicine to manage diverse pathological conditions including dermatological problems in East Asia, in addition to the use of their cocoons for making fabrics. The “mature” silkworms of B. mori have recently been regarded as a potential health supplement due to gaining their edibility for humans by a newly-developed steaming method. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effects of a larval powder of steamed mature silkworms (SMSP) on skin pigmentation and melanogenesis. Orally administered SMSP of pistachio cocoon strain significantly and reduced abnormal pigmentation caused by ultraviolet B on the murine dorsal skin. SMSP also showed a potential anti-melanogenic efficacy in modulating UVB-induced melanogenesis.

In contrast to the silkworms in 3 days of the 5th instar larval stage, the mature silkworms of Bombyx mori L. have enlarged silk glands containing various functional materials. However, they are too hard to chew or digest for humans when they are cooked or lyophilized. The mature silkworms have recently been regarded as a potential health supplement due to gaining their edibility for humans by a newly-developed steaming method in the Rural Development Administration (RDA) in Korea. Therefore, the present study was performed to examine the skin care activity, one of the potential biological activities of the steamed mature silkworms for humans, which will be helpful to increase incomes for sericultural farm households in Korea (This work was supported by the RDA grant, PJ010828022017.).