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1. Blow Fly Larvae to Treat Wounds and Infectious Bone Disease



When the blow fly lands in an open gash, it does what all flies do – it lays maggots. But these maggots are special; they secrete a curative chemical known as allantoin. Today’s doctors use allantoin (extracted from blow fly maggots) to treat osteomyelitis... kind of gross, but effective.

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2. Maggot Therapy



Some doctors, however, don’t even bother extracting the allantoin. Instead, they insert maggots directly into the open cut in a process known as maggot debridement therapy (MDT). As the maggots squirm they eat infection-causing bacteria and dead tissue.

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3. Bee Venom Therapy



Pat Wagner gets stung 200 times a week. Intentionally. Even though she may seem like a nutcase, her reasoning is sound; bee venom (which is rich in enzymes, peptides, glucocorticoids and other curative components) has been proven to help with everything from rheumatoid arthritis to Multiple Sclerosis.

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4. Ant Venom to Treat Arthritis



Interesting fact #1: ant bites contain traces of venom. Interesting fact #2: ant venom reduces swelling and eases joint pains. “Treatment” used to mean haphazardly stepping on a colony, but modern doctors are harnessing the venom and using it as an alternative treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

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5. Green Tree Ants used as Medicine by Australia Aborigines



Ironically, green ants make for a mean tea... one that gets rid of headaches and colds, or can be used to clean wounds. And yes, the aborigines really drank concoctions made from the crushed carcasses of these ants. Strangely, the ant brew has about the same gustatory quality as actual green tea.

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6. Army Ants Used for Wound Sutures



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In the jungles of South America and Africa, some natives use army ants to close open wounds. After the ant bites into the flesh, they rip off the body so the head acts a biological “staple”. And just look at those jowls! Hard to picture them having any use besides biting into living flesh.