Tag: Blister beetle

Cantharidin is a powerful vesicant derived from the blister beetle, and its medicinal use dates back centuries. When asking about the ingredients in cantharidin, the answer depends on the specific formulation—some contain only the active compound, while others are compounded with additional agents for enhanced effectiveness.

Used for over 2,000 years in traditional medicine and associated with dangerous folk practices, cantharidin is a powerful chemical with a long history. Today, when correctly applied by a medical professional, it is a safe and effective topical treatment for common dermatological conditions. For many, a more familiar moniker is used, and the answer to *what is the common name for cantharidin?* is not a simple one, encompassing a colorful past and a clinical present.

Cantharidin, a potent vesicant, is naturally produced by over 2,000 species of blister beetles. For those asking **how do you make cantharidin**, the answer lies in either extracting it from its natural source or synthesizing it through complex chemical reactions under strict laboratory conditions.

Cantharidin, commonly known as Beetlejuice, is a substance extracted from the blister beetle and has been used in dermatology since the 1950s for treating viral skin infections. In medicine, what is Beetlejuice used for is to remove growths like warts and molluscum contagiosum by inducing a therapeutic blister.