Beetle

                                                                               Beetle

Cantharidin

Use Of Cantharin Can Precipitate Burning Pain While Passing Urine 

Therapeutic Use Of Cantharis 

Cantharis: Spanish Fly

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, the deadly insect known as the Spanish fly has been used in love potions. A type of blister beetle, the emerald green insect was popularly crushed with herbs and made into tonics. It could cause feelings of warmth to course through the body, but this was normally due to inflammation rather than desire.

The toxic bug was incredibly dangerous and its use was rumoured to have caused the death of Ferdinand II of Aragon. After the death of his wife Isabella I of Castile, Ferdinand swiftly married the much younger Germaine of Foix. It’s thought that, due to his advancing years and their desire to have a male heir, Ferdinand may have resorted to potions to improve his virility. He died in January 1516 after a steady decline in health, and it was well documented in his court at the time that he had ingested many suspicious elixirs and drinks that may have contained Spanish fly.

                                                                   Animal Drug: Cantharides

Other Animal Based Drugs 

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