Chemists discover cheaper, easier way to halt spread of venom
IRVINE, California: Chemists at the University of California, Irvine have developed a way to neutralise deadly snake venom more cheaply and effectively than with traditional anti-venom – an innovation that could spare millions of people the loss of life or limbs each year.
The existing treatment requires slow intravenous infusion at a hospital and costs up to US$100,000. And the antidote only halts the damage inflicted by a small number of species.
“Current anti-venom is very specific to certain snake types. Ours seems to show broadspectrum ability to stop cell destruction across species on many continents, and that is quite a big deal,” said doctoral student Jeffrey O’Brien, lead author of a recent study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Zeroing in on protein families common to many serpents, the UCI researchers demonstrated that they could halt the worst effects of cobras and kraits in Asia and Africa, as well as pit vipers in North America. The team synthesised a polymer nanogel material that binds to several key protein toxins, keeping them from bursting cell membranes and causing widespread destruction. O’Brien knew he was onto something when the human serum in his test tubes stayed clear, rather than turning scarlet from venom’s typical deadly rupture of red blood cells.
Chemistry professor Ken Shea, senior author of the paper, explained that the venom – a “complex toxic cocktail” evolved over millennia to stay ahead of prey’s own adaptive strategies – is absorbed onto the surface of nanoparticles in the new material
Current anti-venom is very specific to certain snake types. Ours seems to show broad-spectrum ability to stop cell destruction across species on many continents, and that is quite a big deal. — Jeffrey O’Brien, doctoral student
and is permanently sequestered there, “diverted from doing harm.”
Thanks to the use of readily available, non-poisonous components, the “nanodote” has a long shelf life and costs far less. The existing antidote is made by injecting horses with venom, waiting weeks for the animals to develop antibodies, then extracting their blood and shipping it from Mexico or Australia to places that can afford it. The process is not allowed in the US. Major suppliers have discontinued shipments to many markets.
In contrast, “our treatment costs pennies on the dollar and, unlike the current one, requires no refrigeration,” O’Brien said. “It feels pretty great to think this could save lives.” — Newswise