Beneficial venom ...?

Chamomile for stomachaches, lemon and honey for your flu, and the always well received aloe vera for healing scars; grandma always says that there isn’t better thing than nature’s products, and among life continues scientists have done a lot of efforts to reinforce that thought.

A most recent discovery involves an always feared and not so beloved animal, but after this that situation may change. I’m talking about the Black Mamba, one of the most dangerous snakes in South Africa, whose venom have been proved to contain a powerful painkiller that may surpass the well-known morphine.

Opiates such as morphine are known for being used by several well-known artists because of its effectiveness in treating pain, but is also known because of its addictive qualities and for causing vomit, strong headaches, muscle twitching and difficulty thinking to consumers. But this recently discovered pain-reliever molecule has all the benefits of a painkiller but without the side effects mentioned.Snake venoms contain toxins that can lower pain by activating some parts of the brain. Scientists tested isolated pain-killing proteins taken from this animal on mice - named mambalgins - , and the result was a total pain relief which later studies tested on human cells proved to work in a similar way in people.

Although this is still in diapers and needs for more testing, scientists and doctors are pretty optimistic in the development and effectiveness of this new drug which promises to make a change in lots of treatments, don’t you think?