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| Posted: 14 May 2005 02:37 | ||
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| Newswise — Can toxic venoms be used to cure disease? It may sound strange, but the answer is yes. Plant and animal venoms are a frequently mined source for new therapeutic agents in the fight against various human diseases, particularly cancer. "We often look to poisonous reptiles and insects because, by nature, their venom interacts with the nervous system of their prey," said Harald Sontheimer, Ph.D., UAB professor of neurobiology. Sontheimer discovered a molecule in the venom of the giant Israeli scorpion that interacts with cancerous brain cells known as gliomas. A clinical trial of a drug derived from the venom currently is under way. Sontheimer said diabetes, arthritis and pain management are other areas of study. | ||