One bite from a black mamba can kill a person within half an hour. Strangely though, venom from what’s arguably the world’s deadliest snake could actually be a painkiller on a par with morphine.
Pain-relieving compounds—called mambalgins—isolated from the venom of Africa’s black mamba snake are as strong as some opiates, including morphine, without the risk of respiratory distress and other side effects common with pain-reducing drugs.
Venom from snakes and other creatures like spiders and scorpions have long been used for medicinal purposes, and much modern research has focused on the development of the poisonous substance into pharmaceuticals for a wider market.
Aspects of king cobra, copperhead, rattlesnake, and viper venom have been found to have an effect on a wide range of medical maladies, ranging from the dissolution blood clots to possibly slowing the growth of cancer cells. Learn more here, here or here.
October 16, 2012 at 5:56 am |
That is SO COOL!