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What Is Cantharidin?

Cantharidin is the name of a toxic, poisonous chemical substance that is extracted from either the blistering beetle (and various varieties within) or the Spanish fly. Cardinal beetles and false blistering beetles also produce cantharidin. Cantharidin is considered to be a terpenoid, which means that it is within a category of organic chemicals that occur naturally.

  1. Background

    • Pierre Robiquet was a chemist from France. He was the first individual to extract and separate cantharidin from an insect, and did so in 1810. Cantharidin has absolutely no scent, and is clear without any color. It is a solid when it is kept at room temperature.

    Process

    • Male blistering beetles secrete cantharidin. The males then offer the cantharidin to female blistering beetles as a part of the mating process. Then, the female blistering beetle conceals all of her eggs with the cantharidin for protection purposes.

    Toxicity

    • Cantharidin is an extremely toxic substance. In the case of cantharidin being swallowed, it can bring upon extreme urinary tract irritation (when it is being excreted). It can then lead to the genitalia becoming severely swollen. In some situations, it can lead to a dangerous condition in men known as priapism. Priapism is a condition in which an erection maintains itself for a period of more than four hours.

    Uses

    • Though cantharidin is a dangerous substance, it does have various medical purposes. It is commonly used as a wart treatment. It is also often used to remove tattoos. It also can be used to treat the tiny papules that come about as a result of molluscum contagiosum, which is a skin virus that is particularly prevalent with children, and can be spread by contact or sharing things such as clothing and towels.

    Warning

    • Cantharidin is known for having the potential to bring upon negative effects when used to for medical purposes. Its "median lethal dose" (the necessary dose to kill approximately 50 percent of humans that are tested with it) is approximately .5 mg. Even a small dosage of merely 10 mg has the chance of being dangerous and fatal.

    Symptoms

    • There are some signs to look for to know if someone has been poisoned by cantharidin. The two primary symptoms are severe abdominal ache and haematuria, which is a condition in which red blood cells show up in an individual's urine.

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