Preparations from beetles of this family have been used by
herbalists in Southern Africa as abortifacients and for their claimed aphrodisiaceects in males (Harrisberg et al., 1984). In China, dried bodies of some beetles
also belonging to the Mylabris species such as Mylabris phalerata and M. cichori
have been employed in Chinese traditional medicine for more than 2000 years and
are still used as a folk medicine (Wang, 1989).