Earthworms powder have been widely used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. However, it is only during the past few decades, with the development of biochemical technologies, that research on the pharmaceutical effects has been initiated. The present study was carried out to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties of indigenous earthworm powder (Perionyx excavatus), using alcohol induction as a model of hepatotoxic and oxidative damage. Alcohol-hepatotoxic rats exhibited elevation in the lipid-peroxidative marker thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). A decrease in the activities of enzymatic antioxidant enzymes: Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and non-enzymatic antioxidant vitamin C, vitamin E and reduced glutathione (GSH) was observed. Oral administration of dried earthworm powder (500 mg/kg body weight) for 42 days reversed these parameters towards normalcy. These results suggest that the indigenous earthworm Perionyx excavatus could afford a significant hepatoprotective and antioxidant effect against alcohol induced rats.

The increasing need for aquafeed resources and the finite availability of conventional feed resources are making it necessary to search for alternative high-protein resources that are not used as human food. The earthworm Perionyx excavatus was tested as a feed ingredient in diets for common carp. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of earthworm powder as a replacement for fishmeal. In a recirculation aquarium system, triplicate groups of five common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) were fed a control feed (fishmeal based protein), or experimental diets in which 30% (EW30), 70% (EW70), or 100% (EW100) of fishmeal protein was replaced by earthworm protein. Fish growth, feed digestibility and feed utilization were monitored. Growth rate, protein efficiency and energy retention in fish were similar (EW30, EW100) or higher (EW70) for diets containing earthworm meal compared to the control diet. Protein digestibility in EW30, EW70 and EW100 was higher than in the control diet, but in (EW100), lipid conversion was lower. We conclude that earthworm is a suitable partial replacement for fishmeal in feeds for common carp.

Earthworm powder has rich nutritional compositions and is widely used in food, animal feed, health products, cosmetics, forage and other industries.

Both sun dried and freeze dried earthworm powder are avalibale in our company.