Venom As Medicine: How Science Is Gradually Turning Venom Into Medicine

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Today, we will be learning how science is gradually turning venom into medicine! Unbelievable!

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We suddenly become alert and ready to act either in self-defense or by bolting away whenever we see such creatures as snakes, spiders, bees, lizards, scorpions and other venomous animals and insects. Why? Because they are man's archenemy; they have the ability to produce venom, which they use to catch and kill their prey and defend themselves against enemies. This poisonous substance is injected into the bloodstream during the animal bite or insect sting and can be very lethal.

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However, researchers have recently found that venom is actually a complex compound that's made up of several ingredients. While some of these ingredients are deadly toxins and very harmful, others are not harmful toxins as we thought them to be and could be very beneficial to human health. These findings have provided reasonable basis for researchers to work on wide varieties of venom from different animals and insects to identify and isolate the biologically active ingredients with medicinal and therapeutic properties.

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When venom is used to make medicine, it's the toxins that are actually used (not the venom itself). Any type of venom may contain a mix of 20 to 100 toxins, each of which must be isolated, identified structurally, and then studied to reveal the relevant effects on human cells. Source

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A venomous Komodo Dragon

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It is reported that venom toxin acting as medicine specifically targets biological molecules using similar mechanisms by which it also poisons them. This was noted in an article for . This was noted in an article for National Geographic by Jennifer Holland...

“Ironically, the properties that make venom deadly are also what make it so valuable for medicine... Many venom toxins target the same molecules that need to be controlled to treat disease. Venom works fast and is highly specific. Its active components — those peptides and proteins, working as toxins and enzymes – target particular molecules, fitting into them like keys into locks.” Source

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Medicinal Uses of Venom

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It is estimated that there are well over 20 million venom toxins, each having its own distinctive peptide proteins and molecules that make it potent with possible therapeutic properties, which are yet to be screened by researchers. So far, less than 1000 venoms from different animals and insects have been screened and used to produce medications, some of which have been made available for public use.

Below are instances of venom being used in medicine.

• Brazilian lancehead viper: Its venom was once used on the tips of arrowheads and to help treat high blood pressure. In 1981, it became the first venom-based drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

• Saw-scaled viper: This viper's venom was used to create the myocardial infarction drug tirofiban. Viper venom is known to prevent blood from clotting, which is useful for anticoagulant drugs.

• Venomous marine snails: Venom from the cone snail was used to make the drug ziconotide, which is used to treat chronic pain.

• Gila monster: Its venom was used to create the type 2 diabetes drug exenatide.

• Sea anemones: Toxins from these sea creatures are being used to create medications to treat autoimmune diseases.

• Venomous fish: More than 1,000 species of fish have venom (such as the lionfish). Their venom remains largely unexplored by science.

• Deathstalker scorpion: Its venom is being used in trials to help locate tumors during surgery.

• Fire-bellied toad: Venom from the fire-bellied toad is being used to develop drugs that help with imaging and identifying prostate cancer.

• King Cobra: A specific toxin in King Cobra venom shows promise for treating chronic pain. Source

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Conclusion

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While it is true that venom is an indispensably material in the future development of therapeutic and medicinal drugs, it is important that people don't get carried away by the progress recorded so far in this field of scientific research, and begin to be carefree and less attentive to possible attack by venomous creatures.

According to a World Health Organization- WHO estimate...

About 5.4 million snake bites occur each year, resulting in 1.8 to 2.7 million cases of envenomings (poisoning from snake bites). There are between 81,410 and 137,880 deaths and around three times as many amputations and other permanent disabilities each year. source

From these facts, we can see that the mortality rate from venomous animal bites is very high. This highlights the need to be alert at all times while scientists are making efforts to find out how we could turn this deadly substance to good use.

Thanks for reading.

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Na Your Naija Boi, Euro

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Follow @eurogee and @euronation

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References for further reading*

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Image1, Image2, Image3

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This post has been edited by a member of the @Blue-Pencil team.