Common Drug as Cobra Venom Antidote
In a recent study, scientists from Sydney and Liverpool discovered that a commonly available blood thinner can also act as an antidote to cobra venom. The research utilized CRISPR gene-editing technology to identify cells immune to snake venom and determine a mechanism to prevent necrosis from snake bites.
The authors describe snake bites as “the deadliest neglected tropical disease,” noting that approximately 140,000 people die and 400,000 suffer permanent injuries annually due to snake bites. Cobra venom, in particular, causes necrosis and can affect the nervous system, heart, and brain.
Antivenom is often prohibitively expensive, costing about seven times the average daily wage in countries where cobra bites are prevalent. This has led some pharmaceutical companies to discontinue production.
The study, led by Professor Greg Heely and Ph.D. student Tian Du at the University of Sydney, found that cobra venom targets the “heparan/heparin sulfate biosynthesis pathway” in human cells. This pathway produces heparan and heparin, the latter being a blood thinner. The venom binds to these molecules, attacking the cells.
The researchers used this information to repurpose heparin as an antidote. By introducing exogenous heparin, they were able to prevent necrosis in human cells and mice by diverting the venom away from endogenous heparin. Cobras, part of the Elapidae family, are responsible for more bite deaths and amputations in parts of Asia and Africa than any other snake group.
The team also suggested that their method could be used to develop antivenoms for other venomous species. Professor Neely noted that the three-finger toxins found in cobra venom are also present in the blue bottle jellyfish, a subject for future research.