Venom from cone snails could lead to strong painkillers with less risk for addiction

By Around the Web

Deadly cone snail (video screenshot)
Deadly cone snail (video screenshot)

(STUDY FINDS) – A poisonous sea snail could hold the key to developing more effective painkillers with less risk of addiction, researchers hope. A team led by researchers from the University of Glasgow is setting out to learn more about the poison produced by cone snails, which are predatory marine animals found in warm seas and oceans throughout the word.

Deadly venom produced by cone snails has occasionally killed humans and there is no anti-toxin available, meaning there is no treatment. The snail’s venom contains chemicals called conotoxins – highly potent neurotoxic peptides which it uses to paralyze its prey by blocking parts of their nervous systems.

Modified peptides based on the venom could form the basis of future drugs capable of safely blocking pain receptors in the human body, it is hoped. The researchers hope that their project could also help lead to the development of the first-ever treatments for conotoxin poisoning in the future.

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