[Trehala, a meeting point between zoology, botany, chemistry, and biochemistry].
Trehala is a crude drug consisting of the pupal chambers formed by insects belonging to the genus Larinus that live on several Echinops species of the Middle-East. This sweet cocoon is locally used as human food and also for the treatment of cough and various pulmonary diseases. It first appeared in Western Europe in the collection of drugs from the Ottoman Empire displayed by François Della Sudda during the International Exhibition held in Paris in 1855. On the basis of this sample Nicolas Guibourt (1790-1867) gave, in 1858, the first full scientific description of the drug, its origin, and Larinus nidificans as the main insect species responsible for its formation. Marcellin Berthelot (1827-1907) isolated in the same year the sugar trehalose from the drug and gave a full account of its physical and chemical properties. In 1876, Müntz established that trehalose was identical with mycose isolated from Claviceps purpurea by Mitscherlich.
Tillequin
François
F
Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie de l'Université Paris Descartes, UMR/CNRS 8638, Faculté de Pharmacie, 4 awvenue de l'Observatoire, 75006 Paris.
D000818:Animals; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000266:history* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002967:Claviceps / Q000737:chemistry*; D031182:Echinops Plant; D005060:Europe; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008877:Middle East; D011679:Pupa / Q000737:chemistry*; D014199:Trehalose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000266:history* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D048889:Weevils
D002241:Carbohydrates; D014199:Trehalose