About Scolopendra mutilans L.Koch, 1878
Little is currently known about the venom and venom apparatus of centipedes, including that of Scolopendra mutilans. Existing studies on centipede venom glands describe the structure as an inversion of cuticle and epidermis. The venom gland is made up of many epithelial secretory units, and each unit has its own valve-shaped excretory system. Centipedes in the order Scolopendromorpha have interspersed radial striated muscles between these secretory units: one end of each muscle connects to the venom gland lumen, and the other end connects to peripheral muscles. These muscles are thought to enable contraction and constriction of the gland during venom ejection. Venom glands of Scolopendridae species have an elongated cylindrical shape, with the lumen extending almost the entire length of the gland. This long lumen is likely to allow greater control over the secretion of different venom components. For Scolopendra mutilans, the venom glands run along the outer curvature of the trochanteroprefemur of each forcipule.
Scolopendra mutilans has a long history of use in traditional East Asian medicine. In modern South Korea, S. mutilans and other Scolopendra species are used in Korean traditional medicine. Whole centipedes are used to treat a range of conditions, with joint problems being the most common major use; other treated conditions include alopecia areata, stroke, convulsions, lymphangitis, lumps or masses, neoplasms, poisonous tumours, carbuncles, and snake bites. These centipedes are counted among the most frequently prescribed, medically important, and expensive arthropod-derived drugs in Korean traditional medicine. Unlike most arthropod drugs, which are typically combined with other medicinal materials to achieve the desired effect, Scolopendra centipedes are often prescribed alone. In China, S. mutilans is the only centipede species officially registered for clinical application in the Pharmacopeia of the People's Republic of China. Even though it is the only listed species, other centipede species including Scolopendra mojiangica, Scolopendra multidens, and Scolopendra negrocapitis are also commonly used as substitutes in clinical practice.
A 201? study led by Kim et al. investigated the nutritional value of S. mutilans, with the goal of expanding the species' use beyond traditional medicine. Nutritional analysis found that S. mutilans is high in crude protein (approximately 55%) and fat (approximately 26-30%). It contains all essential amino acids, with lysine being the most abundant (making up around 3.5% of all essential amino acids), and glutamic acid being the most abundant non-essential amino acid (around 7% of all non-essential amino acids). Unsaturated fatty acids are also present, with oleic acid the most common (around 41-48% of total fatty acids). Trace mercury was detected in samples, but its concentration was below established food safety limits. No pathogenic microorganisms were found in the tested centipede samples. Based on these results, the researchers suggested that S. mutilans has potential for use both as a medicinal ingredient and a food ingredient.
