The secret of ant's healing ability

According to US scientists, the chemical in an ant species in China can help create anti-inflammatory drugs, relieve pain and cure many other diseases.

(Photo: bio.kuleuven.be)

Researchers from the American Chemical Society have analyzed the chemicals they extracted from polyrhacis lamellidens - a type of ant which Chinese people often use in traditional ways and discovered polyketide - a metabolite has a protective and bonding effect in the cell.

Many previous studies have shown that polyketides can prevent arthritis, infections and many other diseases. Polyketides are also found in many plants, fungi and bacteria.

The results of the study are published in the Journal of Natural Products, which helps us understand why ants are used by traditional Chinese physicians to treat diseases, such as joint pain or hepatitis. .

Researchers believe that ants are used as drugs because they have many useful chemicals in their bodies. But before this result was published, no scientist has found substances that have therapeutic effects in ants.