08-15-2013, 10:01 PM
To add to that, some other types of venoms are also used as part of treatment for certain bodily conditions.
We have the Tarantula Venom for Muscle Dystrophy. Having made several attempts to turn muscle cell channels on and off using drug compounds but found no desired results, Frederich Sachs, a biophysicist from the University of Buffalo, resorted to a spider’s venom.
They chose the Chilean rose tarantula (Grammostola spatulata) which is commonly found in pet stores and sold as harmless house pets. It is known to have a venom too weak to cause damage to a human. His team decided to experiment on a certain peptide isolated from the spider which is called the GsMtx-4 or a 34 amino acid peptidyl toxin. This peptide then showed effects that could turn the muscle channels off. Those with muscle dystrophy suffer from excessive mechanical stress on their muscles. That is why turning off some channels of the muscle cells might improve muscle activity. Sure enough, such were the results to the injected lab mice with the condition. After FDA approval, Sachs and his team plan to start the trials.
Another venom compound coming from the Brazilian yellow scorpion (Tityus serrulatus) has proven to be a worthy tool in studying pancreatitis, a severe inflammation of the pancreas. The compound’s name is antarease and can cause pancreatitis to individuals stung by the scorpion. It is being tested by Dr. Fletcher and his team from East Carolina. Studying the venom and how it can react to the pancreas may allow the researchers to discover better treatment plans for pancreatitis.
Venomous lizards also didn’t escape the picture. Gila Monsters (Heloderma suspectum) were found to have a substance in their venom which could help in the treatment of those with type II diabetes. The peptide exendin, one of the venom’s components, showed to have effects that could moderate the glucose levels in the body and at the same time stimulate slow and steady insulin production.
What a beautiful paradox! Indeed nature never fails to surprise us with its molecules of miracles.
We have the Tarantula Venom for Muscle Dystrophy. Having made several attempts to turn muscle cell channels on and off using drug compounds but found no desired results, Frederich Sachs, a biophysicist from the University of Buffalo, resorted to a spider’s venom.
They chose the Chilean rose tarantula (Grammostola spatulata) which is commonly found in pet stores and sold as harmless house pets. It is known to have a venom too weak to cause damage to a human. His team decided to experiment on a certain peptide isolated from the spider which is called the GsMtx-4 or a 34 amino acid peptidyl toxin. This peptide then showed effects that could turn the muscle channels off. Those with muscle dystrophy suffer from excessive mechanical stress on their muscles. That is why turning off some channels of the muscle cells might improve muscle activity. Sure enough, such were the results to the injected lab mice with the condition. After FDA approval, Sachs and his team plan to start the trials.
Another venom compound coming from the Brazilian yellow scorpion (Tityus serrulatus) has proven to be a worthy tool in studying pancreatitis, a severe inflammation of the pancreas. The compound’s name is antarease and can cause pancreatitis to individuals stung by the scorpion. It is being tested by Dr. Fletcher and his team from East Carolina. Studying the venom and how it can react to the pancreas may allow the researchers to discover better treatment plans for pancreatitis.
Venomous lizards also didn’t escape the picture. Gila Monsters (Heloderma suspectum) were found to have a substance in their venom which could help in the treatment of those with type II diabetes. The peptide exendin, one of the venom’s components, showed to have effects that could moderate the glucose levels in the body and at the same time stimulate slow and steady insulin production.
What a beautiful paradox! Indeed nature never fails to surprise us with its molecules of miracles.
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