Sea snail saliva may become new treatment for most severe pain

American Chemical Society ^ | July 28, 2010 | Unknown

[decimon]

Scientists have developed a new version of a medication, first isolated from the saliva of sea snails, that could be taken in pill form to relieve the most severe forms of pain as effectively as morphine but without risking addiction. An article on the topic appears in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), ACS' weekly newsmagazine.

C&EN Senior Editor Bethany Halford notes that a sea snails' saliva contains chemicals that help the slow-moving creatures catch prey. They include chemicals that the snails inject into passing prey with hypodermic-needle-like teeth that shoot from their mouths like harpoons. Scientists already have transformed one of these chemicals into a pain-reliever for humans, but it has to be injected directly into the spinal cord, limiting its use.

Now scientists in Australia have developed a form of the painkiller that can be given by mouth. It relieves severe pain, such as that in people with peripheral neuropathy, at a much lower dose than existing medications and without the risk of causing addiction. The article quotes one expert as speculating that such a drug could revolutionize the treatment of the most severe forms of pain.

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ARTICLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE "Pain Relief From Snail Spit"

This story is available at http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/88/8830sci2.html

[1raider1]

That is very funny.

[vpintheak]

Well, dang. What’s the point then?

[aruanan]

bungarotoxin

I don’t even want to know where that one comes from.

It comes from a the Taiwanese banded krait (Bungarus multicinctus):



Its bite can cause death in two hours if not treated. The venom is a neurotoxin that binds competitively and irreversibly to the acetylcholine receptor. I used I-125-labeled bungarotoxin in binding assays of acetylcholine receptor alpha subunits.

[xarmydog]

My wife is deathly afraid of water.On a vacation in Corpus Christie,she found the nerve to venture out about up to her ankles.
She stepped on a sea shell that was huge.She picked it up and rinsed it out.
Before we left the beach,she was offered a large sum of money for it,which she declined.When I explained to her what had lived in it and what might happen if she had been stung,she was horrified.
It is on display along with other various sea things in our bathroom.
It has been awhile since we have owned it,but I still check it out every once in a while.Just in case!PS,It is huge!

[aruanan]

On a vacation in Corpus Christie,she found the nerve to venture out about up to her ankles.
She stepped on a sea shell that was huge.She picked it up and rinsed it out. Before we left the beach,she was offered a large sum of money for it,which she declined.When I explained to her what had lived in it and what might happen if she had been stung,she was horrified.

Conus shells rarely get up to about 9 cm in length or about 3.5 inches. Is that what you mean by huge? I think they're the only venomous molluscs in the Gulf of Mexico (except for the octopus). Did it look anything like this? Conus spurius



Or like this? Conus ermineus



I don't want to swim anywhere I can be bitten, stung, shocked, swallowed, or urethrally-invaded.

[agere_contra]

I don't want to swim anywhere I can be bitten, stung, shocked, swallowed, or urethrally-invaded.

Dude!

[loungitude]

I used I-125-labeled bungarotoxin in binding assays of acetylcholine receptor alpha subunits.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Of course!
Me, I’m more of a beta subunits type. All joking aside, thank you for the interesting science.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

All well and good but the people usually in the most severe pain are in a terminal condition and the last thing that should be of concern is “addiction.”

Actually no. There are a lot of people who are healing who are in severe pain. They generally have two options, lots of pain which hinders healing, or enough pain medicines to stop the pain with the possibility of dealing with addiction after they are well again.

Not a happy choice to have to make.

[aruanan]

Me, I’m more of a beta subunits type. All joking aside, thank you for the interesting science.

This is why this snake venom kills you. When it binds irreversibly and competitively to your body's acetylcholine receptors, it prevents the transmission of nerve impulses from brain to muscles and you suffocate.

[xarmydog]

Sorry for not replying sooner.It looks a little similar to the shell picture in the bottom,but with different coloration.
It measures 9 and 3/4 inches long and about the same when measured from the’foot’as I call it to the top of the ‘wing ‘as I call it!
The wife collects them and there is another one beside it that is six inches long that has multiple ‘horns’around it.
Both are very pretty especially the large one that has a mother of pearl look to it.
As you may have well known by now I am no Marine Biologist!
The colors do not look like the ones you posted.She has one that I have never seen and it is strange looking.
The small 6 incher is a dark tan/light brown,and the other is dark tan.
If I knew how,I would send a picture.Hope it helps and if you have an inkling as to what lived in it,i would be curious to know.
We used to hide messages to each other in the big one!Later,xarmydog.