Read more: "Drugs with bite: The healing powers of venoms"
DRUG: Cobratoxin, Cobrotoxin
CONDITION: Multiple sclerosis, HIV
Snake venom has a place in several ancient medical traditions. As early as the 1930s western pharmacists began testing cobra venom as a treatment for conditions ranging from asthma to multiple sclerosis (Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy, vol 11, p 1469). But in recent years, modern techniques from mass spectrometry to high-throughput lab-on-a-chip bioassays have made life easier. Chemists can pick out and identify the specific venom components with beneficial effects, eliminating some unpleasant side effects and making the whole process safer.
One such component is now showing promise for treating multiple sclerosis. Quite what triggers MS remains unknown. What is clear, though, is that the body's immune system begins to attack the insulating sheath that protects nerve cells, causing damage that can progressively impair sensory and cognitive function and ...