Life Saving Animal Poisons Part-I

VENOMOUS LIFE SAVERS

Many animals are sacrificing themselves every day in the laboratory just for a human cause;scientists now look mainly at snakes, spiders, reptiles, and sea creatures rather than at mammals.

There were some departments where I never wanted to get inside while pursuing the course of Veterinary Medicine. One such department is Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine and the other one is Meat Hygiene and Technology with a Slaughter House. My heart will cry at the sight of poor innocent animals which are housed in cages and undergoing testing of drugs and chemicals. 

Really many animals are sacrificing themselves every day in the laboratory just for human cause.The typical laboratory mouse runs 2.5 miles per night on its treadmill.

Animal rights issues may be one reason most scientists now look mainly at snakes, spiders, reptiles, and sea creatures rather than at mammals.
An earlier discovery like insulin which is mainly derived from the pancreas of pigs and cows has saved the lives of 15 million people with diabetes. Now the focus is on the dreaded secretion of some species. Most modern therapeutic products developed from venom are used to treat diseases affecting the nervous system, the cardiovascular system and blood, the very systems that venom targets to kill the prey. Venom is animal-based while poison is plant-based.

A variety of animals, from caterpillars, wasps and cone snails, to snakes, toads and jellyfish, which produces venom, have now become the source of human life saving medicines.

Many *drugs, such as -

Captopril (treats hypertension and congestive heart failure) from the venom of a South AMERICAN PIT VIPER called Jararaca, 

Eptifibatide (used for a blood disorder) from the PYGMY RATTLESNAKE of the U.S. 

Drug Ximelagatran, derived from COBRA venom, was launched to prevent stroke and treat people undergoing orthopaedic surgery. 

A protein Exenatide isolated from the GILA MONSTER'S toxic saliva is now being prescribed to combat Type 2 Diabetes and to promote weight loss.

FUNNEL WEB in Australia, one of the world's four deadliest spiders discovered to create  a natural insecticide that is capable of affecting even DDT-immune mosquitoes and pesticide-resistant cotton bollworms.

KING COBRA VENOM,discovered to contain truly miraculous compounds. One is the only natural occurring toxin to lower heart rate and blood pressure: -Cardiotoxin. The other discovered Haditoxin, an extraordinary painkiller that is 200 times more powerful than morphine. The synthesized peptide can be taken orally, and it is non-addictive, unlike morphine.

Drugs based on SPIDER AND SCORPION VENOMS "Delucemines" which act to protect brain cells and minimize brain cell death in stroke victims until blood flow can be restored and have potential in the treatment of depression and as pain killers.
The list extends ....

*SOURCE:
1. THE HINDU  2. DR.OZ