Komodo Dragon blood, The key to Overcoming Antibiotic Resistance!
If you're anything like me, then am sure you also think that a komodo dragon is scary as hell. Well, i guess nature imbides some amazingly unique qualities in the places we least expect. Who would have thought the komodo dragon can be full of so much surprises. Before i get into the secrets the blood of the komodo dragon holds, I'll love to give you some facts about the komodo dragon.
The komodo dragons are just extremely large lizards. They live on four islands, namely: Komodo, Flores, Rinca and Gili Motang. Even though these animals have existed for years, they were only discovered a century ago when a plane accidentally landed on the komodo island. For this reason, and for the fact that they look a bit like dragons, they were named komodo dragons. They are currently considered a vulnerable specie because thier numbers have been drastically reduced by human activities and natural disasters. Well, the fact that adult komodo dragons are cannibals and really enjoy eating new hatchlings, does not help thier population.
An average adult komodo dragon can weigh about 200 lbs and grow up to 10 inchies. The komodo dragon who happens to be a carnivore; can eat an animal as large as 80% of its total body weight. It can eat animals like large water buffalo, deer, carrion, pigs and even humans. It has a forked tongue just like a snake, which it uses to detect prey by tasting the air. They also mostly hunt during the day because they have poor eye vision at night.
Enough of the mumbo jumbo!
The real reason am writing this post is to tell you how nature has given us amazing antibiotic materials in the blood of the komodo dragon.
Oh yes! you read that right.
Do you know that for the past 30 years, only one brand new type of antibiotic has been discovered; And millions of people die yearly from antibiotic resistant illnesses. Now nature has handed us this gift freely in the komodo dragon blood.
The komodo dragon have more than 80 types of bacteria in thier saliva(including the bacteria that causes sepsis and blood poisoning); yet they are never ill. They are infact immune to the bacteria, this attribute is what caught the attention of researchers.
When a komodo dragon bites its prey, the bite isn't really strong enough to kill the prey. The prey is weakened by the venom in its saliva. The venom reduces blood pressure,increases blood loss and sends the prey into shock. The prey becomes too weak to fight and then the venom keeps eating it up until it gives up; Giving the komodo dragon chance to feed.
How Can The Komodo Dragon Blood Help Save Humanity?
Scientists have discovered that the blood of the komodo dragon is filled with Catonic antimicrobial peptides(CAMP's). This is an all purpose bacteria and infection fighting substance produced by all living creatures.It is an essential part of the innate immune system.
The CAMP's in the komodo dragon is totally unique due to the fact that the komodo dragon carries a lot of bacteria and is never affected by them.
More than 50 new types of CAMP's have been identified in the komodo dragon blood.Most of them just ward off bacteria, about 8 of them are able to fight bacteria that are currently resistant to antibiotics.7 of them killed Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strains(which are currently resistant to antibiotic.)While one fought off only P. aeruginosa.
A peptide called VK25 which has been said to possess mild antimicrobial properties, was also isolated in the komodo dragon's blood. This peptide has the ability to prevent biofilms(this is when a group of bacteria merge, in order to protect themselves.)
Researchers on this discovery, critically studied the VK25 and later rearranged the amino acids that form it; to create a stronger synthetic peptide which they named DRGN-1.
The DRGN-1 which is pronounced Dragon-1, was tested on mice.Some mice were given skin wounds and the wounds were infected by the biggest super bugs(Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strains) of our time. It was observed that the DRGN-1 totally disintegrated the biofilms that glued bacteria together, and then made the wound heal so fast, the scientists were amazed. This observation is considered a break through in the pharmaceutical field because it has given hope to the antibiotic resistance epidemic.
Concluding Thoughts
The research on komodo dragons was actually financed by the military sector because the main aim was to possibly find a means of protecting soldiers from bacterial bioweapons, and helping them heal faster when they are injured. The research has however, brought hope to the mainstream; there is currently hope that antibacterial resistance can be overcome in the nearest future.
Although it has currently only been tested on mice, Scientists are very hopeful that this discovery will lead to new antibiotics for human consumption that are needed for multi drug resistant pathogens.
Staph infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis, dermatitis, cystic fibroid and so many other high mortality multi drug resistant pathogens will finally be over come.
The only little challenge the scientists are facing is the fact that komodo dragon blood is.... well... scarce! The samples currently being used for test is gotten from a komodo dragon in a zoo. Scientist believe the dragons in the wild will definitely have even more CAMP's. This is because living in the wild is tougher, and the immune system is forced to function at its possible best, thereby creating better CAMP's.
Well, I hope they are able to figure out how to get more wild komodo dragon blood.
Thanks for reading!
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So the old saga of getting a armored skin from bathing in dragon blood could come true (metaporically).^^
Very well written and informative post, thanks!
We'll all be like Siegfried. :D
Haha! Good one!
Lol... Good one
Thanks for reading!
Blood of reptile is saving humans. This is weirdly awesome.
Nice piece there
I know right, Thanks for reading!
Good to know there is some hope for finding new antibiotics. Somebody's bound to look into synthesizing those peptides. Basing a therapy on such a scarce resource won't attract funding for long.
So what about hyena blood or saliva then? I believe they have their mouth full of bacteria, too.
I'll have to do some research on hyena's, as i presently don't have much info on them. There is currently a lot of hope on the komodo dragons.
Fingers crossed!
Thanks for reading!
So here we have another rare animal that science is prepared to sacrifice "for the good of humanity." How about using any of the numerous natural remedies that do the same thing?? Oh that's right, they can't be patented. It's all about money, not about helping people.
You've totally got it wrong. The komodo dragons are not being harmed or sacrificed in the process. None has died for the sake of the research.
The main goal here is definitely to help people.
Thanks for reading!
@crystalanya @sciencegeek
As far as I know, Komodos are still endangered species there is no way that someone will let them sacrifice komodos in the name of science.
But just like antivenom is made in horse blood, I guess something similar can be done with komodos, blood extraction or something like that? Correct me if I am wrong. :)
You are so right, it's just blood extraction they do on the komodos. They haven't even been able to get a lot of blood due to how ferrocious the komodos are. Am sure they'll figure something out soon.
Very interesting your post. The dragon of comodo is wild and has characteristics for which it has been stigmatized, but that is its nature. But that's when nature surprises us, who would think that in his blood was the cure for some diseases. Greetings.