Spanish Fly/Cantharides: Does it Work?

I think it was Ogden Nash who said “candy is dandy but liquor is quicker”. What do I know? Spanish Fly in slight overdose can be painfully lethal.

Courtesy: r3hab.com

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - Boy oh boy do we get weird questions. Writing “ask Dr. Leveque, Pharmacologist” in my biography is a mixed blessing. One recent inquiry, “What is Spanish Fly and does it really work?”. I think every 15-year-old boy has heard about this, and it seems to pique his fancy.

Yes, I have heard about and know about Spanish Fly. Actually, it is a beetle, well known in Spain and other Mediterranean countries and it has been used “medically” for about 2000 years. It has a crazy history... Back in the old, old days when doctors thought that pain and sickness was caused by evil spirits in the body, blood letting, scarification and blistering were standard medical treatments. Solutions of Spanish Fly were blistering agents much like a bee sting. It could be put on the skin wherever there was pain. It hurt like crazy and diverted ones mind from the real ache or pain. It was also found to cause urinary tract irritation and burning and an erection. Holy Moses – what a discovery!! It was also found to work on women and it was used for seduction in wine or food.

The worst part of the whole business was that even a slight oral overdose would cause blistering to the intestinal tract and similar damage to the kidneys and urinary tract. A slightly larger dose could and did cause death and in many countries it was made illegal.

I checked my computer; Spanish Fly had 11 million hits and apparently it is “available”. It is used on animals to promote breeding.

One really strange thing: stuff is marketed called “Spanish Fly” which it isn’t at all but is a mish-mash of other stuff including pepper which gives the same taste but doesn’t irritate the urinary tract.

I think it was Ogden Nash who said “candy is dandy but liquor is quicker”. What do I know? Spanish Fly in slight overdose can be painfully lethal.

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Dr. Phillip Leveque has degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and minors in physiology and biochemistry. He was a Professor of Pharmacology, employed by the University of London for 2 years, during which time he trained the first doctors in Tanzania. After training doctors, he became an Osteopathic Physician, as well as a Forensic Toxicologist.

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Daniel Johnson February 4, 2010 2:30 pm (Pacific time)

Yes, it was Ogden Nash.

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