Fish with heroin-like toxins approach for new analgesic drug?

New painkiller? Fish poison with an effect like heroin
Natural toxins often offer good opportunities for medicinal use. For example, the discovery of a heroin-like toxin in small coral fish by Australian researchers at the University of Queensland is raising hope for the development of new analgesics. But at the same time, researchers warn against the destruction of such natural sources for drug discovery in the context of global environmental degradation.

The small saber-toothed slime fish (Nemophini) of the genus Meiacanthus inject other fish with opioid peptides that act like heroin or morphine, according to the research team led by Professor Bryan Fry of the University of Queensland. "Their secret weapons are two large grooved teeth on the lower jaw that are connected to venom glands," explains Professor Fry. The venom glands contain, according to the researchers a unique toxin. Their research results have been published by Prof. Fry and colleagues in the journal "Current Biology".

Saber Tooth Slime (Nemophini) live in coral reefs and have a unique poison that looks similar to heroin. (Image: wernerrieger / fotolia.com) a

Poison puts opponents and attackers out of action
The saber-toothed slime fish live in Pacific waters and are also native to the Great Barrier Reef off the Australian coast. In addition, the fish are often kept as aquarium fish. "These fish fascinate in their behavior. They fearlessly approach potential predators, while they also fight intensively with similarly sized fish around their territory, "reports Prof. Fry. They owe their success to a unique poison. This works according to the researchers on bitten fish similar to heroin. Attackers and competitors are slowed down by the poison in their movement and severely impaired in their orientation. "To put it in human terms: opioid peptides would be the last thing an elite Olympic swimmer would use as performance enhancing substances. They would drown rather than win gold, "explains Prof. Fry the effect.

With environmental degradation, many sources of drugs are lost
According to the Australian researchers, saber-toothed slime fish are one of the most intriguing poisons in wildlife, and the effect raises hopes for widespread use as a painkiller. But even that is an excellent example of why we need to protect nature. "If we lose the Great Barrier Reef, we lose animals like the Nemophini and their unique venom, which can be the source of promising pain killers," remarks Professor Fry. A warning that has been presented many times, for example, in relation to species extinction in the Amazon or the destruction of the jungle in general. Comprehensive protection of ecological resources is therefore urgently required from this point of view as well. (Fp)