Why Snake Venom Might Not
Be All That Bad
By: Karlyn Jensen
And Jacquie Scurlock
Introduction:
• Snakes have been used medicinally since
the 1st Century AD.
• At this time in China, they used snake skin
to treat a variety of ailments, including
hemorrhoids, sore throats, and eye
infections.
Introductions:
• China still uses snake materials for a
variety of different things:
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Skin problems
Sore throat
Rheumatic pain
Appetite stimulant
Hemorrhoids
Eye infections
Virility
Bronchitis
Leukemia
Fever
Whooping cough
Native American uses for
Rattlesnakes
• Shed Skin
– Fever
– Smallpox
– Blood Cleanser
• Fat and Oil
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Aches
Bruises
Athritis
Rheumatism
Sciatica
• Powdered Rattle
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Leprosy
Pustules
Toothache
Headaches
• Flesh
– Emphysema
– Tuberculosis
Introduction:
• The use of snake materials in medicine
finally made it to the U.S. in the 19th
century, when Chinese railroad workers
brought snake oil with them from China to
rub on their swollen and painful joints.
• This led to the start of the modern medical
investigation of the uses of snake
materials, especially venom.
Introduction:
• Although snake venom is very costly, it is
often used in medical research.
• Venom from different types of snakes has
been proposed to help treat asthma, blood
clots, heart attacks, strokes, HIV, ALS, MS,
AMN, cancer, epilepsy, and to work as
analgesics.
Introduction:
• It is estimated that 99% of the contents of
snake venom are non-toxic.
• A crucial part of the study of snake venom
is finding a way to detoxify the venom so
that it can be researched and used in
medical treatments.
Introduction:
• We selected this topic because when most
people think about snake venom, visions
of debilitating, often deadly bodily
reactions usually come to mind. This
however, is not always the case. Venom
can be used beneficially in a variety of
situations. We were interested in exposing
the positive side of venom, and learning
more about its numerous uses.
Introduction:
• This topic is of a great medical importance
because it has the possibility of producing
cures or treatments to a large number of
diseases. Diseases such as cancer and
HIV that have thus far not been curable
may be curable in the future through the
use of snake venom.
Results and Discussion:
Antivenom:
• Binds to and neutralizes venom, preventing
further damage.
• Unfortunately, it does not repair the damage
already done.
• 2 classes
– Monovalent: effective against a specific
species.
– Polyvalent: effective against several different
species.
Antivenom:
• Side effects
– Anaphylaxis: an immediate severe lifethreatening allergic reaction.
– Serum sickness: a delayed immune response,
a reaction to proteins in serum (antivenom)
from an animal source.
Antivenoms are usually given with antihistamines and hydrocortisones.
Antivenom:
• The United States has antivenom for pit
vipers.
• But in the fall of 2009, the Coral snake
antivenom will expire.
– The US will no longer have any antivenom for
the Coral snake.
• Tiger snake
– Protein: Notechis scutatus inhibitor.
– Neutralizes the venom of 6 other snakes.
Analgesic Effects:
• One toxin, called najanalgesin, has been
isolated from the Naja Naja Atra cobra. It
has been shown to have significant
analgesic effects in tests involving
animals.
• Najanalgesin was the first cardiotoxin
shown to have analgesic effects.
Analgesic Effects:
• A toxin in the venom of the South
American rattlesnake has been shown to
also have analgesic properties.
• Even though this toxin works by binding to
opioid receptors, it has not been shown to
produce any tolerance or withdrawal
symptoms, which is rare.
Analgesic Effects:
• The continued investigation of this toxin
could revolutionize medicine with the
invention of a pain killer with effects similar
to that of Percocet, Oxycontin, or Vicodin,
without the risk of tolerance or withdrawal.
• This development could significantly
reduce the abuse of and addiction to pain
killers.
Multiple Sclerosis:
• The use of snake venom in the treatment of
multiple sclerosis is still highly controversial, and
many MS treatments involving snake venom are
currently forbidden by the FDA.
• However, at least three different venom
derivatives (PROven, RPI-78M, and Cobratoxin)
have been shown in tests to help patients with
MS.
Multiple Sclerosis:
• PROven, a medication developed by Bill Haast, started
to be prescribed by some doctors in Florida for a variety
of diseases in the late 1970’s. It was shown to have
great results, especially in patients with MS. The drug,
however, had never gone through clinical testing, and
was quickly banned by the FDA.
• It has been suggested that this medication could be used
for arthritis, herpes, lupus, muscular dystrophy,
Parkinson’s and ALS.
• A drug similar to PROven, called Horvi MS9 is currently
being sold legally in Germany for the treatment of such
diseases.
Multiple Sclerosis:
• Nutra Pharma is currently in the development process of
a drug called RPI-78M.
• This drug is being developed to treat MS, but is also
expected to be useful in the treatment of myasthenia
gravis, muscular dystrophy, and ALS.
• This medication has several positive features that may
make it superior to other MS drugs:
– It is not toxic, meaning it is not possible for the patient to
overdose.
– It is stable for a shelf life of over 4 years at room temperature.
– It is easy to administer, and can be taken orally.
Multiple Sclerosis:
• Cobratoxin, which comes from the venom of the
Thailand cobra, can be detoxified for human use with
minimal side effects.
• It has been shown to have immunosuppressive,
neuromodulatory, antiviral, and analgesic effects in
patients with MS.
• Another drug class, which includes ancrod, batroxobin,
and crotalase, treats MS by preventing fibrin from
crossing the blood-brain barrier and collecting near
myelin sheaths.
HIV:
• Nutra Pharma is also involved in the
development of another drug similar to
RPI-78M that could be used to treat
patients with HIV.
• This medication, called RPI-MN, works by
preventing the entry of certain viruses into
body systems; especially viruses that
cause neurological damage.
Cancer:
• Venom is being used in research with
numerous types of cancers.
• One example of this research is with
breast cancer. Contortrostatin is a protein
from Copperhead venom which has been
shown to slow the growth of tumors and
cancer cells, and prevent them from
spreading to other parts of the body.
Cancer:
• Studies in Australia are trying to show how
venom can be used to cut off blood supply
to tumors.
• Venom may become an even better
cancer treatment than chemotherapy,
because chemotherapy kills everything,
both healthy and cancerous cells. But
some venom derived treatments appear to
be specific to certain cell types.
Strokes:
• There is a medicine called t-PA that can be used
to treat strokes, but it has to be administered
within three hours after the stroke. The problem
with that is that strokes are frequently not
noticed right away. Because they impair brain
function, and often prevent speech, it might be
hours or even days before the effects of a stroke
are noticed. By then, it is too late for the t-PA. A
venom derivative called Viprinex, or ancrod, can
be used to treat a stroke within six hours after,
doubling the amount of time within which
treatment may be administered.
Strokes:
• Ancrod comes from the venom of the
Malayan Pit Viper.
• It works against a stroke in 3 ways:
– It prevents the formation of new clots.
– It breaks down the already existing clots.
– It thins the blood, which increases blood flow
to the brain.
Strokes:
• Ancrod is being tested in clinical
trials worldwide, and has been
shown to decease blood viscosity by
30-40%. It also leads to decreased
pain and increased physical mobility.
• Ancrod is also a treatment for - - Deep vein thrombosis
(formation of a blood clot in
a deep vein)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g
GrDAGN5pC0
-Chronic circulatory disorders
such as Raynaud’s disease
(uneven blood flow to digits).
Heart Attacks:
• A common problem with angioplasties is that
during the surgery, the break up of the plaque
can lead to the formation of blood clots. One
way to reduce the risk of this happening is to use
a venom derivative called ReoPro. The IV form
of this drug uses an integrin antagonist, which
blocks the binding of integrin and fibrinogen to
prevent blood clots.
• Another venom derivative, Aggrastat, called the
“Super aspirin,” also works by preventing blood
clots.
Coagulation:
• Snake venom can have one of two effects
on the coagulation process: it can either
promote rapid clotting, or prevent it
completely.
• The promotion of rapid clotting is currently
being investigated for use in traumas to
prevent high volume blood loss.
ACE Inhibitors:
• Snake venom also led to the development
of ACE inhibitors.
• They were developed by using venom
from the Brazilian snake.
• Ace inhibitors are used to treat high blood
pressure and several other cardiovascular
diseases.
Arthritis:
• Researches in Israel are using viper
venom to try to relieve the pain of arthritis.
One doctor got this idea when he noticed
that Russian immigrants brought salves
with them made of viper venom that they
used to soothe muscular and arthritis pain.
Researchers there expect to be able to
start marketing an arthritis salve made
with viper venom within the next five
years.
Anti-Aging
A toxin called Syn-ake, which comes from
the venom of the Temple Viper, has
recently been added to at least two skin
care products. This product helps to stop
wrinkles by preventing the facial muscles
from contracting. It seems to work. It had a
smoothing effect on 80% of those in the
clinical sample, and an anti-wrinkle effect
on 73%.
Over-All Health Benefits:
Bill Haast, the inventor of PROven, has been handling
and raising snakes for years, and at the age of 85, he
had been bitten 162 times, and claims to inject himself
with a venom cocktail once a week. However, he also
seems to be incredibly healthy. Today, as he nears 100,
Bill still looks like he might be in his 60’s, and is still
running around like someone much younger. He also
claims to have never been sick, not even with a cold,
and to never have taken medicine, not even an aspirin.
Although there is no scientific evidence proving that
Haast’s good health has anything to do with snake
venom, clearly something is working in his favor. Haast
is set to turn 100 next year, and is still reportedly in good
health.
Bill Haast (center) at age 97.
Conclusions:
Conclusion:
• The aforementioned cases are only a few
examples of the many areas in which snake
venom is being investigated as a treatment
method. Currently, venom is being tested in
almost every area imaginable.
• The clear message from all of these cases is
that venom does have several health benefits,
and many more discoveries about its uses are
sure to be made in the near future.
Conclusions:
• After researching the many medicinal uses
of venom, a definite take home message
should be not to discount any possible
treatment method. After all, if a material
that can cause sudden death can also
cause substantial healing, nothing should
be overlooked when seeking out cures
and treatments.
References:
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2008- Bill Haast honored by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Venom Response Unit Photo.
http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/100345393
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"Multiple Sclerosis: Hope Through Research." National Institute of Neurological
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<http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/multiple_sclerosis/detail_multiple_sclerosis.htm>.
Nutra Pharma Corp. Drug Discovery:: Overview.
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References Continued:
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