In a small room in a building at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the invertebrate keeper, Emma Califf, lifts up a rock in a plastic box.
There are two dozen rattlesnakes across the hall, a swarm of inch-long bark scorpions in another box, and a captive hairy, all kept here for their venom.
The field of venomics has grown in recent years, and the growing catalog of compounds has led to a number of drug discoveries. The number of promising molecules is growing as the components of these natural toxins continue to be tested.
We used to think venom had three or four components, but now we know just one type of venom can have thousands.
There is a pharmacopoeia waiting to be explored.
It is a striking case of modern-day scientific alchemy, in which the most highly evolved natural poisons on the planet are creating a number of effective medicines with the potential for many more.
One of the most promising venom-derived drugs to date comes from the deadly Fraser Island funnel web spider of Australia, which halts cell death after a heart attack.
After a heart attack, the cell environment becomes more acidic and leads to cell death. Clinical trials for the drug are scheduled for next year. The cells of beating human hearts were tested in the lab. It was found to block their ability to sense acid, so the death message is blocked, cell death is reduced, and we see improved heart cell survival.
If it is proven in trials, it could be used by emergency medical workers to prevent damage to the heart after a heart attack and possibly improve outcomes in heart transplants.
It looks like it is going to be a heart attack wonder drug, according to Bryan Fry, an associate professor of toxicology.
The techniques used to process venom compounds have become so powerful that they are creating new opportunities.
There is a huge natural library. Hundreds of thousands of species of reptile, insect, spider, snail and jellyfish have mastered the art of chemical warfare with venom. The makeup of venom varies from animal to animal. Venom is different in quantity, potency and proportion according to habitat and diet, as well as by changing temperatures due to climate change.
Venom is made of a complex mix of toxins. They are so deadly because they have been around for so long.
Venom is the product of a biological arms race over that time; as venom becomes more deadly, victims evolve more resistance, which in turn makes venom even deadlier. Humans are included in that dynamic because they are made of a small amount of the same molecule.
The venom molecule has evolved to target specific cellular proteins that are the same as pathways used in the drugs derived from them. There are inherent problems that can make new drugs not work.
These drugs are usually made without venom. They can be synthesised once identified.
There are three effects from venom. The nervous system is attacked by toxins. Local toxins attack the area around the site of poison exposure.
There are a lot of venom-derived drugs on the market. The venom of a Brazilian jararaca pit viper was used to create Captopril. It has been a success. Exenatide is a drug that is used for type 2 diabetes. Draculin is used to treat strokes and heart attacks.
The venom of the Israeli deathstalker scorpion is used in clinical trials to find and illuminate breast and colon tumors.
It can take many years and cost millions of dollars to manufacture and conduct a clinical trial of a potential candidate for a new drug. The University of Utah announced in March that they had discovered a molecule in cone snails. Cone snails fire their venom into fish, which causes them to drop in blood sugar so quickly it kills them. It has promise as a drug for diabetes. Bee venom has been found to kill aggressive breast cancer cells.
The venom of the Brazilian wandering spider is thought to be a potential source of a new drug for ED.
Some scientists think that important secrets are locked up in venom. Scientific interest began in the 17th century. The first research to look at venom components was conducted in Philadelphia in 1860, after the Italian physician and polymath Felice Fontana added to the body of knowledge with his treatise.
The use of venom for medicine has a long history. Traditional Chinese medicine uses venom-dipped needles. Bee sting therapy, in which a swarm of bees is placed on the skin, is used by some natural healers. The rock musician claims to have injected himself with venom in order to build his immune system and boost his energy.
There is increased demand for venom. Ms. Califf of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum said she had to travel to the desert to find more bark scorpions because they glow in the dark. Arizona has more venomous creatures than any other U.S. state and is well suited for this kind of production.
A spider excretes a small drop of amber liquid at the tip of its tail when it applies a tiny electrical current. Venom glands are gently massage as snakes bare their fangs. The substance is sent to researchers around the globe after they surrender their venom.
Pit vipers have other unusual adaptations. The pit is where snakes can sense the heat of their prey.
It's not just venom that's better understood these days. In the last few years, there has been a concerted search for antivenom.
A $100 million fund was created by the Wellcome Trust. There have been numerous research efforts around the world looking for a single universal treatment that can be carried into remote areas to help someone bitten by a venomous snake. Different types of snakebites have different antivenom.
It has been difficult. It's difficult to find a drug that can counteract the effects of venom in new drug research. varespladib is in clinical trials.
Experts hope venom will lead to more respect for fear-inducing creatures. Dr. Fry is studying the venom of Komodo dragons, which is the largest lizard in the world at 10 feet long and more than 300 pounds. It is also in danger.
He said that work on the Komodo allows us to talk about the broader message.
He said that nature is a biobank and that it can only find interesting compounds from extinct creatures.
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