Medicinal Venom

The K’gari (Fraser Island) funnel-web spider (Hadronyche infensa).

There are an estimated 150,000 animal species that have evolved venom. Some are familiar, such as snakes, bees, scorpions, and spiders. But there are also venomous lizards, sea anemones, cone snails, and even a few mammals, like the duck-billed platypus with its venom-bearing ankle spurs.

Comparatively few of the thousands of animal venoms that exist in nature have been analyzed for their potential medical value. Some venom-inspired medicines are already in use, and others show promise, for treating chronic pain, heart conditions, blood clots, diabetes, and more. Now, advances in technology are allowing scientists to discover and screen more venoms and use them to create something that heals, rather than kills.

Read the whole story at IEEE Pulse magazine: Venom-Inspired Medicine: Ancient Chemicals Offer Novel Solutions.