Earthworm enzymes can be used for treating diseases: Expert

Coimbatore, Jun 7 (UNI) Earthworms can be used as medicine for the treatment of cancer, tumors and cardiovascular diseases like blood clotting, according to an expert.

Presenting a paper on ''the science of vermiculture: the use of earthworms in organic waste management'' at the Indo-US workshop on ''Vermiculture in human welfare'' here, Dr Clive A Edwards of the Soil Ecology Laboratory at the Ohio State University, US, said earthworms are used mainly in China as pharmaceuticals for alleviation of animal and human diseases.

As a result of their porous cuticles and mode of life in the soil the earthworms produce enzymes as protective mechanisms. Some of these enzymes when extracted could help in the treatment of cancer, tumors and cardiovascular diseases. Earthworms could also be used as a source of animal feed as they contain essential amino acids, fats, carbohydrates and vitamin B12, he added.

The species of earthworms most commonly used in vermiculture were 'Eisenia fetida, Dendrobaena veneta and Lumbicus ternestris' in temperate climates and 'Eudrilus eugeniae, Perionyx excavatus and Pheretima hawanya' in the tropics, he said.

Dr Clive said certain species of earthworms feed preferentially on organic matter and have been adopted for the vermiculture processing of organic waste into vermicomposts.

Stating that vermicomposts could be used as a medium for growing plants or soil amendments in greenhouse or field, he said they promote plant germination, growth, flowering and yields dramatically.

UNI