Scientists from the University of North Colorado are investigating whether snake venom may be an effective cancer treatment. Snake venom contains hundreds of chemicals that have the potential to be helpful in fighting cancer.
Scientists study snake venom
Worldwide, 8 million people die from cancer each year. In Poland, cancer kills nearly 110. people. No wonder that scientists are still working on new drugs effective in the treatment of cancer diseases.
This time, scientists from the University of North Colorado focused on snake venom. After conducting preliminary laboratory studies on cancer cell cultures, experts acknowledged that snake venom has therapeutic potential against human disease.
However, it must be remembered that the toxins contained in the venom are highly poisonous and sometimes just a single bite is enough to kill the victim almost immediately. On the other hand, it contains hundreds of ingredients that can have potentially anti-cancer effects.
Scientists are interested in snake venom for a reason. Captopril, a drug used to treat hypertension, was designed based on the structure of a peptide isolated from snake venom. The drug has been available in the United Kingdom and the United States for almost 40 years. The fact that it is effective causes scientists to look for new compounds in the venom of snakes to aid treatment.
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Snake venom research
The largest research on snake venom is carried out in a laboratory at UNC’s School of Biology. This is where scientists were the first to study snake venom in the fight against cancer. Studies have shown that, depending on the type of venom, other cancer cells are examined, such as snake venom acting on breast cancer and colon cancer cells. It proved ineffective in melanoma.
Tests are carried out in laboratory conditions on cancer cells collected from cancer patients. The research team hopes to one day clinical trials in humans will follow. The biggest problem at the moment is to adjust the dose and the mixture that will destroy the cancer cells without being poisonous to humans. The challenge is to ‘program’ snake venom to kill cancer cells without damaging healthy cells.
See also:
- Every day, 33 Poles die of colorectal cancer. The screening for cancer takes only 20 minutes
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- The five cancers from which Polish women die most often
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