Cantharidin

During the 18th century, cantharides use was widespread. The miscellany reputedly helped Louis XV and Ferdinand the Catholic overcome their "conjugal disinterests" (7:591).

Since the Spanish fly is native to southern Europe, cantharides may have primitively been derived from Cantharis vesicatoria (11:444). Blister beetles belong to the order Coleoptera (7:592). These insects argon distributed at heart six families and at least nine genera (1:22). It is estimated that worldwide in that respect are over 2,000 different species of cantharidincontaining beetles. over 200 of these species pull through in within the United States.

Two species, Epicauta vittata and E. pennsylvanica, are raise in the south and southwestern parts of the country (1:22). A skillful farm pest, E. vittata is particularly abundant in the pass months. They often infest tomato plants.

In the eastern U.S., ternarystriped species of rack up beetle include E. temexa and E. occidentalis (formerly classified unitedly as E. lemniscata). These insects can be found from Florida to New jersey and may range as far as the western and southwestern states to Colorado, and even northeastern Mexico (9:189).

North American blister beetles can grow to one inch in size. Their coloring material is variable (1:22). Typically, the insects are found in fodder and other animal food. They primarily subsist on alfalfa hay.

Hay other than alfalfa, however, may to a fault become infested when it contains weeds which the beetles can use for food (e.g., silverleaf nightshade).

Over thousands of years cantharidin has found many uses.

In South Africa the shopping center can easily be obtained from local herbalists and witch doctors. As a result, in that part of the world, the compound is one of the major poisons employed by criminals.

Cantharidin toxicosis may be an especially serious problem for livestock (9:190). Peak incidences of cantharidin insobriety in animals are usually observed in late summer and azoic fall. Typically, a 400kilogram horse need exclusively eat about 100 threestriped beetles to have got a lethal dose. In addition, considerably smaller poem of beetles can still cause severe problems.

While accounts of cantharidin poisoning are scarce, the potential for it to occur is great. This is primarily due to the widespread occurrence of cantharidincontaining beetles. In humans, most cases of toxicity involve topical contact with the beetle extract (11:447). This may result from use the beetles, crushing them on the skin, or applying their vesiculating fluid to the genitals as an aphrodisiac or medication (1:22).

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