Vol. 12, Special Issue 8 (2023)

Author(s):
Aabid Khaliq Tantray, Naveena Nazim, Mohd Shahid Raja, Shabir Ahmad Bhat, Shabir Ahmad Wani, Khursheed Ahmad Dar, Khursheed Ahmad Sahaf, Zaffar Iqbal Buhroo, Mumina Khan, Mehr-u-Nissa and Mohammad Farooq Baqual

Abstract:
Silkworm droppings (SWD) are one of the major wastes generated during rearing of silkworms. However, these droppings are excellent source of manure, fish and poultry food and are utilized in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries because of the presence of some important bioactive compounds. Present study was undertaken to determine the chlorophyll, polyphenol, flavonoid and antioxidant activity of SWD in droppings of all the 5 instars of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The ethanol stirrer extraction method was used for the preparation of silkworm dropping extracts of all the 5 instars. The total chlorophyll was found in the increasing order from 1.839mg/g to 3.609mg/g in the 1^st to 4^th instar SWD. However, the content of total chlorophyll decreased in the 5^th instar SWD (2.628mg/g). Total polyphenol content was recorded in decreasing trend from 1^st to 5^th instar SWD from 3.108mgGAE/g to 0.510mgGAE/g, similar trend was observed in the total flavonoid content from 19.097mgQE/g in 1^st instar to 4.07mgQE/g in 5^th instar SWD. Scavenging activity shows direct correlation with the concentration. Highest scavenging activity was observed at 50mg/ml sample. Further, the scavenging activity showed decreasing trend in the SWD samples collected from 1^st to 5^th instar larvae from 87.46% to 76.03% respectively. From the study we conclude that silkworm droppings can serve as a promising dietary, nutraceutical and scavenging application and would thereby add value to sericulture.