Publication Details
Abstract
Silk cocoon, naturally produced by silkworms, scientific name Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera, Bombycidae), is one of the well-known medicinal products with multiple therapeutic activities. The present study aims to review various aspects of silk cocoon, including chemical composition, traditional uses, biological and biotechnological activities, and toxicological issues, to provide scientists with a scientific source. For this purpose, electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and traditional literature were searched as of December 2021. Silk is composed of 75–83% fibroin, 17–25% sericin, and 1–5% non-sericin components, including secondary metabolites, wax, pigments, carbohydrates, and other impurities. In recent years, the biological properties of silk cocoon, especially its major proteins, namely fibroin and sericin, have attracted special attention.