Venom in Snail May Cut Severe Nerve Pain
The RgIA and Vc1.1 venom toxins block a certain molecule in the cells which causes severe neuropathic pain
By: Alexandra Lupu, Health News Editor
A recent study carried out by a team of researchers at the University of Utah found that severe pain caused by injury to the nervous system may be considerably curbed by a toxin in the venom of a sea dwelling cone snail. The specific snail is called Conus regius and uses its venom to paralyze and capture fish.
Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal, University of Utah team explained that their study has been conducted on rats so far, but findings showed promise for further development of a new generation of painkillers based on the sea snail venom toxin. The particular toxins extracted from Conus regius venom which proved to be extremely efficient in cutting severe nerve pain are named RgIA and Vc1.1. Scientists discovered that the two toxins work against chronic pain by inhibiting a molecule produced in cells and called the “alpha9alpha10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.”
Co-author of the study J. Michael McIntosh, University of Utah Research Professor of Biology and Research Director and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry stated that this is a breakthrough method of blocking severe pain in a large number of individuals worldwide: “We found a new way to treat a chronic and debilitating form of pain suffered by hundreds of millions of people on Earth. It is a previously unrecognized mechanism for treating pain.”
McIntosh also pointed out the fact that up to present, there are no highly effective methods of reducing excruciating pain experienced by people who have suffered injury to the nervous system. On the overall, neuropathic pain and nerve hypersensibility results from injuries to the spinal cord, brain or nerves. Such pain may be caused by diabetes condition which triggers the damage of feet nerves or nerves found in other regions of the body, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, alcoholism etc.
Researchers concluded in their report: “The numerous analgesic compounds currently available are largely ineffective. Our findings not only suggest a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism for the treatment of neuropathic pain, but also demonstrate the involvement of alpha9alpha10 nicotinic receptors.”
Snail venom and nerve pain
- scoobyjude
- Family Elder
- Posts: 517
- Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:00 pm
- Location: suburb of Chicago, IL USA
- Contact:
By why did they leave out Aimspro and Bee Stings
Round about the caldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.--
Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and caldron, bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,--
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and caldron, bubble.
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch's mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse,
Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips,
Finger of birth-strangl'd babe
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,--
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingredients of our caldron.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and caldron, bubble.
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.
WS MacBeth AIVSi
John
I am what I am
I am what I am
might want to check out Prialt, a painkiller which originated with snail venom:
http://elan.com/Products/united_states/prialt_home.asp
http://elan.com/Products/united_states/prialt_home.asp
Disclaimer: Any information you find on this site should not be considered medical advice. All decisions should be made with the consent of your doctor, otherwise you are at your own risk.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 0 Replies
- 1030 Views
-
Last post by frodo
-
- 0 Replies
- 1845 Views
-
Last post by DIM
-
- 2 Replies
- 1082 Views
-
Last post by frodo
-
- 3 Replies
- 2105 Views
-
Last post by tzootsi
-
- 0 Replies
- 1613 Views
-
Last post by Anonymoose
-
- 1 Replies
- 1262 Views
-
Last post by Jaded
-
- 40 Replies
- 6728 Views
-
Last post by ElliotB
-
- 0 Replies
- 936 Views
-
Last post by NHE
-
- 0 Replies
- 1247 Views
-
Last post by DIM