Scorpion sting may ease chronic pain

SCORPION venom could treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the future.

Scientists in the U.S. treated rats with iberiotoxin — a component of the venom found in a scorpion’s sting — and found this stopped progression of the condition, even reversing it in some cases.

RA causes pain and swelling in the joints. Cells called fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), found in the inner lining of joints, play a major role. As they move between joints, they produce chemicals that attract immune cells, which then attack the joints. It’s thought that iberiotoxin works by stopping FLS travelling.