Benefits of snake venom in medicine

Benefits of snake venom in medicine

• Production of anti-venom/anti-venin, using horses or sheep as vectors

• Treatment for breast cancer: in France, an enzyme derived from copperhead venom may possibly be used in treatment

• Dissolving blood clots: ingredients from the venom of a Malayan pit viper could be effective in breaking blood clots, and proteins in venom also prevent blood clotting. This would be very beneficial in treating stroke victims. A “super-aspirin”, Aggrastat, was introduced by Merck & Co. to prevent blood clots and to help prevent heart attacks in people hospitalized with severe chest pain

• Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease: enzymes from cobra venom could be used in treatment

• Osteoporosis: a cure could be produced from the venom of certain vipers

• Tumour reduction: a cure could be produced from the venom of certain vipers

• Heart disease: several venom extracts have shown possibilities that could lead to the production of anti-coagulants that would be helpful in treatment

• Hypertension: proteins from certain rattlesnakes’ venom have been used in the production of blood pressure medication

• Leukaemia: ingredients from the red-necked spitting cobra have provided clues as to the mechanism of cell membrane breakdown

• Cancer: ingredients from the red-necked spitting cobra could also be helpful here in a similar way to treatment of leukaemia. A natural compound in the venom also activates the destruction of cells that make up the blood vessels that supply nutrients to tumours , and research shows that some Australian snake venoms target cells that surround tumours, while having less or no effect on other cells and researchers expect the final compound to target only targeted cells

• Analgesics: against chronic pain such as arthritis, and secondary pain caused by other diseases like cancer. Patients with arthritis could get relief using a cream made from chemicals found in venom

• Arrest of bleeding during surgery and trauma: taipan venom has been found to contain large amounts of a blood clotting protein, factor X

• Antimicrobials: envenomation is associated with a low incidence of bacterial infection

• Adhesive for promotion of healing after oral surgery?: stimulates faster tissue repair and may be less infectious than traditional sutures
  

http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/snakvenpainp.html
http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enZone=Health&enDisplay=view&enPage=BlankPage&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Articles%5El1256

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Australian-Snake-Venom-Can-Arrest-Bleeding-During-Surgery-And-Trauma-8283-1/

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Arthritis-Pain-Can-Be-Eased-Using-Snake-Venom-8864-1/

http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/2/1/39

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=229

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/540977/snake_venom_may_help_heal_your_mouth.html?cat=5