Treat rheumatoid arthritis with the poison of scorpions?

Scorpion venom can be used to cure arthritis?

Researchers have now discovered a surprising source for the possible relief of suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The poison of a scorpion reduces the severity of the disease, without causing unpleasant side effects.

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found that scorpion venom reduces rheumatoid arthritis in rats without inducing side effects like other treatments. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics".

In rheumatoid arthritis, a component from the poison of scopions may provide relief in the future. (Image: psdesign1 / fotolia.com)

Foundation for new treatment of rheumatoid arthritis?

One of hundreds of components in the venom that scorpions normally use to kill prey shows great potential for treating disease, says study author Professor Christine Beeton of the Baylor College of Medicine. However, further research needs to be done before the poison can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. However, the doctor expressed optimism that the poison used at some point as the basis for a new treatment of rheumatoid arthritis can be used.

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a so-called autoimmune disease affecting more than 1.3 million people in the US alone, the researchers say. Such a chronic inflammatory disease, which can affect more than just the joints, occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissue. There is currently no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. The condition causes severe pain and an inability to move the joints. However, various forms of treatment reduce the inflammation, relieve pain and prevent joint and organ damage, explain the doctors.

What are fibroblast-like synoviocytes?

The researchers' research aimed at certain cells called fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). These secrete products that damage the joints and attract immune cells that cause inflammation and pain in the transition from joint to joint. The scientists previously identified a channel on the cells, which is a kind of Achilles heel. This channel acts as an access that allows cells to perform many of their essential functions.

Iberiotoxin stopped the progression of rheumatoid arthritis

The researchers found that Iberiotoxin, a component of Scorpion venom, effectively blocks the channel in rats. Iberiotoxin stopped the progression of the disease in 90 percent of the rats treated at the first sign of symptoms. In addition, it also reduced the severity of the disease in those who were first treated after the symptoms reached their maximum, say the physicians. Iberiotoxin did not cause side effects such as tremor and incontinence, which were commonly seen with another channel blocker in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Isolating iberiotoxin was very important

The key to using scorpion venom as a drug was the isolation of Iberiotoxin, says Professor Christine Beeton. Diseased people should, according to the researchers warning by no means self-experiments with scorpion venom perform, because this would be very dangerous and certainly painful. (As)