News tagged with scorpion venom

First scorpion sting drug receives FDA approval

The FDA has announced the approval of Anascorp, the first drug designed to specifically treat and counteract the venomous stings of scorpions.

Medicine & Health / Medications

created Aug 05, 2011 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (11) | comments 0 | with audio podcast report

Scorpion venom -- bad for bugs, good for pesticides

Fables have long cast scorpions as bad-natured killers of hapless turtles that naively agree to ferry them across rivers. Michigan State University scientists, however, see them in a different light.

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Apr 27, 2011 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Scorpion has welcome sting for heart bypass patients

A toxin found in the venom of the Central American bark scorpion (Centruroides margaritatus) could hold the key to reducing heart bypass failures, according to research from the University of Leeds.

Medicine & Health / Research

created Oct 22, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Deathstalker scorpion venom could improve gene therapy for brain cancer

An ingredient in the venom of the "deathstalker" scorpion could help gene therapy become an effective treatment for brain cancer, scientists are reporting. The substance allows therapeutic genes — genes that treat disease ...

Medicine & Health / Cancer

created Aug 11, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Brazil fire burns huge collection of dead snakes

(AP) -- A fire in Brazil destroyed what may be the world's largest scientific collection of dead snakes, spiders and scorpions that served as the main source for research on many species, scientists said Sunday.

Biology / Plants & Animals

created May 16, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Scorpion venom provides clues to cause, treatment of pancreatitis

A Brazilian scorpion has provided researchers at North Carolina State University and East Carolina University insight into venom's effects on the ability of certain cells to release critical components. The findings may prove ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Mar 29, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Pinch away the pain

Scorpion venom is notoriously poisonous -- but it might be used as an alternative to dangerous and addictive painkillers like morphine, a Tel Aviv University researcher claims.

Medicine & Health / Research

created Feb 16, 2010 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

A deadly scorpion provides a safe pesticide

Scorpions deliver a powerful, paralyzing venom ― a complex cocktail of poisonous peptides that immobilize animal prey on the spot. Some of the toxins in this cocktail damage only insects, which is why a Tel Aviv University ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Jan 11, 2010 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Genetic analysis reveals secrets of scorpion venom

Transcriptomic tests have uncovered the protein composition of venom from the Scorpiops jendeki scorpion. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Genomics have carried out the first ever venom analysis in this arach ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Jul 01, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (5) | comments 0

Scorpion venom with nanoparticles slows spread of brain cancer

By combining nanoparticles with a scorpion venom compound already being investigated for treating brain cancer, University of Washington researchers found they could cut the spread of cancerous cells by 98 ...

Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine

created Apr 16, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (10) | comments 3

Research identifies importance of diet in snake venom evolution

Axel Barlow's paper in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on saw-scaled vipers shows that snakes which have evolved to feed on scorpions have also evolved venom which is more lethal to scorpions, demonstrating that c ...

Biology / Evolution

created Apr 08, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0