Characterization of cantharidin extracted from the Egyptian blister beetleMeloe proscarabaeus (Meloidae)

Hegazy, Sarah; Assem, Manal; Helmy, Hanan; Lotfy, Nadia

doi:10.21608/ajbs.2017.68633

Characterization of cantharidin extracted from the Egyptian blister beetleMeloe proscarabaeus (Meloidae)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Entomology Department - Faculty of Science – Ain Shams University

² Biochemistry Department - Faculty of Science – Ain Shams University

³ Research and Training Center for Vector Control – Ain Shams University

10.21608/ajbs.2017.68633

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to characterize the cantharidin extracted from the Egyptian blister beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus). Cantharidin was collected by electric shock method from adult blister beetles and it was characterized by FT-IR and TLC to determine its level of purity.The results showed an improved purity of the extracted cantharidin when compared to the crude blister beetle extract. These results indicated that the used purification resulted in an appropriate level of cantharidin purity.

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