Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

what is the best process to extract a substance from the earthworm.......
what is isolation???? .......thank you

Gester,

The link below is to a journal article describing a procedure for getting an enzyme from worms. (This is a lab used in college biochemistry courses.) The procedure is not for the antioxidants you are interested in purifying, but the starting procedure for grinding up worms would be similar. Furthermore, it gives you some sense of what it takes to purify an enzyme from worms. As you can see, it’s a fairly high-tech biochemical procedure that involves chemicals and high speed centrifuges, and etc – perhaps a bigger project than you want to or can take on.
http://www.bambed.org/cgi/content/full/31/1/16

Perhaps you could consider using ground up worm powder rather than purified components. I didn’t look hard for a procedure for this, but I think it’s doable. I did notice that one can purchase worm powder at some Asian markets and at stores that specialize in natural remedies. (Obviously, your question would be slightly different if you went with ground up worms vs a purified enzyme(s).) Here’s a link to earthworm powder and a use in Chinese medicine: http://www.nutricology.com/proddesc/dis ... 042605.pdf

Besides figuring out how to purify antioxidants, I presume you want to have some way to test their efficacy? Do you have anything in mind? Before you go to great lengths figuring out how to purify enzymes or how to make worm powder, I think you must consider this aspect of your project.

No matter what direction you decide to go with this project, I encourage you to check out this link from the National Cancer Institute about antioxidants and cancer prevention:
http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressr ... tioxidants