Nitroglycerin ointment, which inhibits the pulsation of lymphatic vessels, increases the chances of survival after being bitten by a poisonous snake, according to scientists from Australia in the journal Nature Medicine. It works by delaying the spread of toxins in the venom, giving bite victims valuable time to receive medical attention.
According to statistics, about 100 die every year as a result of snakebites worldwide. people, and another 400 thousand. requires limb amputation. In the venom of many species of snakes, toxins in the form of large particles are present, which enter the blood through the lymphatic vessels.
Dirk van Helden and colleagues from the University of Newcastle found that the use of a vasodilator – nitroglycerin ointment – increases the survival rate of rats injected with snake venom by as much as 50 percent.
Scientists have observed that the drug reduces the rate of venom transport through the lymphatic system of rats. They then administered the same radiolabeled drug to healthy volunteers and found that also in humans it inhibited the transport of molecules in the lymphatic vessels.
According to the authors of the study, the use of nitroglycerin ointment will increase the chances of survival of snake bite victims and extend the time necessary to provide necessary assistance to those who are bitten. (PAP)